Philips Hue Bluetooth Smart Lights Work Without a Bridge

You can now buy Philips Hue lights without installing a bridge to connect to them. The new Bluetooth enabled Philips Hue smart lights connect directly to your smartphone or to Alexa.

This makes it easier to get started with smart lighting at a lower price. The system supports up to 10 Bluetooth enabled Hue lights in a house, and if you decide that you need more, the new bulbs work with the Hub as well, allowing you to add even more.

There are three smart bulb types in this lineup, which are available in the traditional A19 lightbulb style and the BR30 indoor downlight style.

• White ($14.99)
• White Ambiance ($24.99)
• White and Color Ambiance ($49.99)

The White bulbs are a single color and allow you to dim the bulb. the White Ambiance allows you to choose a shade of white light to match your mood or the room. The White and Color Ambience lets you choose a shade of white or choose a color from millions of color combinations.

With this new setup, you can control the Hue Bluetooth bulbs from an iPhone, iPad or Android device. The bulbs also directly connect to Alexa for voice control with an Echo. To work with Alexa, you do need a fairly new device. Currently, the Hue Bluetooth lights work with the Echo Dot 3rd Gen, Echo Plus (1st and 2nd gen) and the Echo Show 2nd gen.

Additional Echo device support is coming. Direct control with Google Home and Google Nest support are in the works, but you can control them now with Google Assistant if you have a Hub.

The Bluetooth Hue lights are available to order today. Philips plans to add to the lineup later this year and in 2020. You can learn more at Meet Hue.