Andrew Heinzman
Philips Hue officially ended support for its first-gen Hue Bridge on April 30th, nearly two months ago. The original Bridge can no longer connect to the internet but still works on local networks with the legacy Philips Hue Bridge v1 app, as well as voice assistants like Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
Now, come June 22nd, Google Assistant is cutting off legacy support for the original Hue Bridge. The Assistant has been occasionally reminding users of the v1 Bridge that support will end on the 22nd, giving them plenty of time to adjust the way they interact with the Hue bulbs or pick up a v2 Bridge.
This isn’t necessarily a death sentence for your old Hue Bridge. You can still control it through the Hue Bridge v1 app or your Alexa voice assistant. But if you’re committed to using voice commands with your Hue bulbs, then you’ll need to upgrade to the Hue Bridge v2. I actually suggest buying a new Philips Hue Starter Kit—it costs just $5 more than the standalone Hue Bridge but comes with a Bridge and two bulbs.
According to Philips Hue, the second-gen bridge is “future-proof.” The company isn’t working on a third generation of the Bridge, so you probably won’t have to worry about replacing it for several years.
Not sure which version of the Hue Bridge you own? Just look at its shape. The original Bridge is round like a fire alarm, while the second-gen Bridge is square.
