Philips launching Hue Sync Box 8K, updated Google Home integration, support for multiple bridges

Ben Schoon | Sep 5 2024 - 4:30 am PT

The Philips Hue Sync Box is a fun way to extend what’s on your TV to the lights in your room, but the original box has lagged behind on features for a while now. Today, Philips has announced a new Hue Sync Box that supports HDMI 2.1 and more.

The Philips Hue Sync Box 8K is a new set-top box that will cost $349, a $100 price increase over the prior model. This new device will allow for vastly improved functionality, though, thanks to the addition of HDMI 2.1. This allows for 8K content at up to 60Hz, or more importantly, 4K content at up to 120Hz, meaning this will work with consoles such as the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.

This updated model, like the prior one, can sync with up to 10 Hue lights to match the colors you see on your screen with the ones your lights show, all in real-time. There’s no word on whether or not users can expect functional improvements out of this box, but it stands to reason Philips has probably made some updates over the years.

Philips Hue Sync Box 8K is available starting today at Best Buy.

Beyond that, Philips is also adding the ability to personalize pre-set lighting effects, and adding four more new ones – Cosmos, Underwater, Enchant, and Sunbeam.

The Hue app will also finally add support for controlling multiple bridges at once from the same view, no switching accounts or bridges in the Hue app. This will arrive “later this year.”

Philips Hue Secure cameras (which launched earlier this year) are also adding support for Google Home and Alexa, with the ability to show live feeds on Nest Hub and in the Home app.

Philips Hue Secure cameras will work with Alexa and Google Home, letting you use voice control and display the live streams from your cameras on compatible devices, like Echo Show, Fire TV and the Google Nest Hub, as well as in the Alexa app and Google Home app.

Finally, the Philips Hue Ensis pendant light is launching today for $479.