For those that have $130 to spend on improving their TV lighting experience, the new Philips Hue Sync TV app for Samsung TVs is here to help. The new app was announced at CES 2023, an event which typically sees some interesting TV and home announcements made. However, and while cheaper than the $250 Hue Play HDMI Sync Box, $130 still seems like a steep price for what’s on offer.
There are a number of ways that TV users can improve their viewing experience, with accessories like streaming players and audio devices prime examples. For those that want an even more immersive experience, there are various lighting products available. While most of these are somewhat limited and designed to provide basic background lighting while watching, others are more dynamic and smarter solutions.
The new Philips Hue Sync TV app for Samsung TVs is one of those that’s designed to offer a smarter TV lighting experience. Whether it’s watching a movie on Netflix or Disney Plus, or gaming, the new app offers a way to seamlessly match the light experience provided by Hue smart lights to what’s playing on the TV at the time. According to Signify, the Philips Hue Sync TV app is due to become available to download from the Samsung TV app store tomorrow (Jan. 5, 2023). However, this is a paid app, and the cost of downloading is $129.99.
At $130, it is an expensive way to improve a home theater experience, and that’s just the cost of the app. Anyone wanting to use the Philips Hue Sync TV app will still need to purchase supported Philips Hue bulbs, and will need a 2022 or newer Samsung QLED TV from the Q60 (or higher) range.
Still, for those that do have this kind of money to spend on an app, the technology here seems impressive and almost certainly will provide a heightened viewing experience when streaming movies and shows. Not to mention, those purchasing the app can expect support for all image formats, including 4K, HDR 10 and even 8K, the ability to choose between video and game modes, as well as various other tweaks and customization options.
