Philips Hue MotionAware may evolve beyond motion detection, without additional hardware

Besides supporting a greater number of lamps and switches than the standard Bridge, the Philips Hue Bridge Pro (approx. $99 on Amazon) also introduces MotionAware. This new feature allows for motion-activated automations in rooms with three or more Philips Hue lamps, without requiring a dedicated motion detector.

In an interview with HomeKit Insider, Philips Hue’s founder George Yianni hinted at a promising capability that may arrive in a future update: MotionAware may evolve beyond simple motion detection to function as a presence sensor. This would deliver two key benefits in practice. First, lights could be switched off immediately after a room is vacated, rather than waiting for a preset delay, thus helping conserve energy. Second, lamps could remain on as long as someone is present in a room, even if they remain stationary.

The maximum number of motion areas allowed is also expected to increase – each Hue Bridge Pro currently supports up to four MotionAware areas. The challenge lies in avoiding network overload, which may cause sluggish response times. Despite expressing confidence that these enhancements are technically feasible, George Yianni, who also serves as Philips Hue’s head of technology, was unable to provide a specific timeline for the rollout or confirm details about a potential upgrade to turn Hue motion Sensors into presence sensors.