That's not true, Zigbee remotes can pair directly to lightbulbs (including Philips Hue) and control the color. Example:
https://rgbgenie.com/?product=rgbgenie-rgbw-remote-zigbeeAlso, there are tons of cheap colored lightbulbs controlled directly by an infrared remote. Example: https://www.amazon.com/Light-Color-Changing-2700K-White/dp/B...