Philips Hue Play Smart Wall Washer: A New Era in Smart Lighting

Amazon’s UK site has an early listing for what appears to be a successor to the Philips Hue Play Light Bar. The new Philips Hue Play Smart Wall Washer”>Hue Play Smart Wall Washer also casts an ambient glow on walls that can be synced to music and videos, but illuminates a wider area with better color output than its predecessor, thanks to “precisely arranged LEDs.”

The Hue Wall Washer appears to be a significant upgrade over the Light Bar, but it is considerably more expensive as well. The Light Bar is currently on sale for $69.99″>Hue Play Smart Wall Washer is priced at £199.99 (approximately $270), while a two-pack of the previous model is available for $159.99. It is expected to be released sometime in the next four months.

With a design that appears similar to Philips’ Hue Twilight smart sunrise lamp”>previous models but without the forward-facing bedside lamp functionality, the Hue Play Smart Wall Washer projects up to 1,035 lumens of white or colored light. The company claims it “covers three times as much surface in colorful light as other wall washers,” regardless of how far it is positioned from a wall. This is achieved using Philips’ ColorCast technology, which angles the LEDs diagonally upwards.

Standing just over 6 inches tall and 3.5 inches wide, the Wall Washer can be positioned behind or nearby a TV. Its aluminum construction with a matte finish helps to prevent glare from the TV, as Philips states that it “won’t catch any glare from the TV off the light itself.” This design consideration enhances the overall viewing experience.

Despite being over twice as bright as the Philips Hue Play Light Bar, which offers 500 lumens of illumination, the new Wall Washer features “ultra-low dimming” capabilities. This allows it to create a subtle lighting effect or even function as a night light. Additionally, it is Bluetooth compatible, although there is currently no mention of Zigbee support on Amazon’s listing. Users can control the device with voice commands through popular smart assistants, including Google Assistant, Apple’s Siri, and Amazon’s Alexa.

The Philips Hue Play Smart Wall Washer represents a significant advancement in smart lighting technology, offering enhanced features and capabilities that cater to modern home entertainment needs. As consumers increasingly seek versatile lighting solutions, this product is poised to meet those demands effectively.