- Philips is rumored to be launching a new camera-based Hue Sync device for their TV backlighting
- It eliminates the need for an expensive Hue Play HDMI Sync Box
- ‘Sync Screen’ would be the first camera for the Philips Hue Play system
Philips Hue may be working on a new device to sync your TV’s color palette with your backlights, giving you yet another way to illuminate your entertainment setup
Fabian from the Hue Blog attended an online presentation hosted by Philips and spotted a new Hue Sync device with an integrated camera that looks similar to rival devices like the Nanoleaf 4D.
The new gadget could be called ‘Sync Screen’ and may be unveiled at IFA 2026 in September. We don’t know how much it will cost yet, but given that Philips Hue is a premium brand, it’s likely that the new device will be priced higher than its competitors.
Like other camera-operated TV LED lights, Philips’ version mounts on top of a TV or monitor and captures the color movements of the movie, show or game on the screen. This movement is then processed and synchronized with backlight mounted behind the screen.
From the image shared by the Hue Blog, it looks like the Philips Sync Screen camera will only have one lens, but will likely be a fisheye that captures your entire TV screen – like those used by rival devices.
You’ll almost certainly still need a Philips Hue Bridge to connect the lights and camera together, but because the system camera is operated, you won’t need a Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box or Hue Sync TV app subscription, which could make it a more tempting proposition.
As mentioned, Philips isn’t the first smart home giant to offer TV lighting gadgets like this, which aim to make your TV and gaming experiences more immersive by extending the colors from the screen to the surrounding walls.
In addition to the Nanoleaf 4D light strips, the Govee StarPal Pro and the newer Govee TV Backlight 3 Pro models are all camera-driven – the latter having a dual-camera system to capture more of your TV screen or monitor.
Philips has already had quite an eventful 2026. In March, the company unveiled its new OLED TVs, which are also the first built-in models for Dolby Vision 2, as well as the beautiful but expensive ceiling light that mimics natural daylight. We are only two months away from IFA 2026 and I think the best is yet to come.
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