Earlier this year, IKEA unveiled a new range of affordable smart home gadgets including various sensors, remote controls and bulbs, all Matter-compatible. At the same time, we’ve seen smart home features added to iconic product lines, such as the Varmblixt donut lamp.
I got a sneak peek of the new line at CES in January, then sat down with David Granath, IKEA’s lighting and home electronics line manager, to learn more about the brand’s long-term smart home plans.
The rebooted Matter-compatible smart home range includes 21 new gadgets, almost all of which cost under $10/£10. There are a range of remote controls, motion sensors for doors and windows, water leaks, humidity and temperature, air quality, as well as a smart plug and various smart bulbs. Some are already available for purchase and others will be available from April.
These are all standalone smart products, but smart features also appear in existing products – but never just for the sake of it.
David cites the new VARMBLIXT smart donut lamp as a great example of the brand’s approach, saying it will only be used “in places where it truly enhances a product.”
Don’t expect IKEA to turn its back on its home decor roots, either: it’s approaching smart functionality as an expansion opportunity rather than a new category. “In the long term, we don’t really see smart products as a segment,” reveals David.
“We’re still a furniture company, but adding smart features has now become affordable enough that we can give superpowers to our products. In the long term, we believe we have the opportunity to dramatically improve life at home.”
Simple, affordable, relevant
Some of the new sensors were previously available in older ranges, but a very important upgrade here is that the new versions are compatible with Matter. Working with the universal Matter standard was essential to IKEA’s smart home vision. “This removes one of the biggest barriers to starting a smart home,” says David.
Hardware compatibility means customers don’t have to spend time and effort understanding standards and ecosystems, or ensuring product X works with hub Y; the products will simply connect and work.
“For us, Matter is an important step in making smart homes simpler and more affordable, and therefore relevant to more people,” he adds.
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