Philips Hue Turns Lights into Surveillance Devices with MotionAware Feature, Enabling Security Alerts and Smart Detection Without New Bulbs

At IFA 2025, Philips Hue unveiled a suite of new products, but one update stands out for blurring the line between smart lighting and home surveillance: a major upgrade to its Hue Bridge Pro that turns nearly any existing Hue smart bulb into a motion-detecting security device. The new feature, called MotionAware, leverages the Hue Bridge Pro—priced at $99—to enable motion detection using three to four lights in the same room. Rather than requiring new hardware, Philips says the system uses the bulbs’ existing radio frequency signals to sense movement, effectively repurposing older bulbs as passive motion sensors. This means even Hue lights from the second generation, launched in 2014, can be upgraded with this functionality—provided they’re connected to the new Bridge Pro. The implications go beyond convenience. When motion is detected, users can set their lights to turn on automatically, flash red, or trigger other actions. The feature integrates with Philips’ Hue Secure lineup, including security cameras and sensors. In an emergency, lights can flash to deter intruders, the new Hue Security Bell can sound, and users can receive alerts on their phones—complete with an option to contact emergency services. While the MotionAware feature itself costs $1 per month to cover cloud processing, enabling security alerts requires a separate $40-per-year Hue Secure subscription. That’s a small price for some, but it raises questions about privacy and data handling. Philips claims all motion data is processed locally on the Bridge Pro, not in the cloud, which is a reassuring detail for those wary of surveillance creep. Beyond security, the Bridge Pro offers significant upgrades over its predecessor: it supports up to three times as many devices, and unlike older models, it connects directly to Wi-Fi instead of requiring an Ethernet cable. That makes setup easier and more flexible for users with limited router ports. Whether you're looking to automate your home with smart lighting or turn your living room into a mini surveillance system, the Hue Bridge Pro delivers a powerful upgrade. For those who value both convenience and security, it’s a compelling option—though it does come with the unsettling realization that your lightbulbs might just be watching you.