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Ikea

Ikea’s not a tech company, but it sure knows the home. That’s probably why the flat-pack company, founded in 1943, calls its smart home initiative “Home smart,” giving the home priority over the technology. What started as a trickle of smart devices — including tables with integrated Qi chargers and low-priced lights, switches, plugs, and blinds built upon the Zigbee standard — has ballooned into a full-blown business. The Ikea Home smart business unit now sits alongside the company’s more traditional businesses, like Bedroom & Bathroom, Kitchen & Dining, and Ikea Food (aka, meatballs) with investment to match. Ikea’s partnership with Sonos marks the first time the company has ever sold a co-branded product in one of its stores. With 433 stores servicing over 1 billion customers in 2019, let’s just say that Ikea’s impact on the smart home could be significant.

Ikea’s latest speaker lamp ditches Sonos for Spotify and inexpensive Bluetooth Ikea’s latest speaker lamp ditches Sonos for Spotify and inexpensive Bluetooth 
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Smart Home
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Thread count: Ikea is stitching together a smarter home

With plans to launch more than 20 Matter-over-Thread devices, Ikea is embracing Matter in a move to make its smart home simpler and more affordable.

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Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Ikea’s smart home hub is now a Matter controller.

The Swedish retail giant’s latest update for its Dirigeria hub adds the feature in beta. Matter controller functionally means you can add Matter devices from other brands to the hub and control them with Ikea’s Home Smart app. Ikea’s David Granath told The Verge it hopes to send the update to all users by “the beginning of next week.”

The hub is already a Matter bridge, allowing its lights, blinds, and sensors to be used on other Matter platforms (Apple Home, Alexa, etc.). With a Matter controller, Ikea can become a Matter platform in its own right.

Updated July 3, added comment from Ikea.

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Sonos and Ikea are ending their partnershipSonos and Ikea are ending their partnership
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Ikea registered a Matter-over-Thread temperature sensor with the FCCIkea registered a Matter-over-Thread temperature sensor with the FCC
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News
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Ikea’s smart lights can now automatically adjust throughout the dayIkea’s smart lights can now automatically adjust throughout the day
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Gadgets
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Ikea’s smart home hub now supports MatterIkea’s smart home hub now supports Matter
Gadgets
Gadgets
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Thomas Ricker
Ikea’s energy monitoring smart plug is here.

The Inspelning smart plug is now available for $11.99 in the US and beyond. It works with Ikea’s Dirigera smart hub and Energy Insights feature so you can adjust how and when you use energy-intensive appliances to maybe save some money and reduce your energy usage.

Ikea is testing a secondhand marketplace, but only in two countriesIkea is testing a secondhand marketplace, but only in two countries
Ikea
Ikea
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Ikea’s stock-counting warehouse drones will fly alongside workers in the USIkea’s stock-counting warehouse drones will fly alongside workers in the US
Ikea
Ikea
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Ikea will pay 10 Roblox players to roleplay as employees in its virtual storeIkea will pay 10 Roblox players to roleplay as employees in its virtual store
Ikea
Ikea
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Ikea is adding energy monitoring to its Home Smart appIkea is adding energy monitoring to its Home Smart app
Ikea
Ikea
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Ikea’s new gaming furniture looks like furniture, not an energy drinkIkea’s new gaming furniture looks like furniture, not an energy drink
Gaming
Gaming
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Ikea’s AI assistant gives design inspiration — at least it tries toIkea’s AI assistant gives design inspiration — at least it tries to
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AI
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Ikea debuts a trio of affordable smart home sensorsIkea debuts a trio of affordable smart home sensors
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Ikea
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Thomas Ricker
Ikea support for Matter smart homes still delayed.

Despite being just “a couple of months away” over a year ago, Ikea’s Dirigera hub still can’t bridge the company’s smart home gear to Matter. Here’s the latest statement... on the matter:

We want to make sure our products meet the highest quality standards and have therefore decided to delay this functionality for some time. We simply need more development time to secure good functionality. We will provide more information when it’s time.

At least we’ve got three new affordable sensors coming.

Ikea launches its first smart LED strip at the right priceIkea launches its first smart LED strip at the right price
Ikea
Ikea
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More than 130 companies including Ikea, Volvo ask world leaders to ‘phase out’ fossil fuelsMore than 130 companies including Ikea, Volvo ask world leaders to ‘phase out’ fossil fuels
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Ikea actually got a decent grade for its sustainable shipping goalsIkea actually got a decent grade for its sustainable shipping goals
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Ikea’s got more smart home sensors coming.

The two FCC filings spotted by Zatz Not Funny! reveal a new two-piece open/close sensor (Ikea’s first) called the Parasoll that tells you the current state of a door or window, and its second IP44-rated (splash-proof) motion sensor called Vallhorn.

They’ll use AAA batteries and were tested with Ikea’s newer Dirigera Matter hub. The filings list IoT maker Leedarson as Ikea’s collaborator.

<em>The new Ikea Vallhorn motion sensor.</em>
A drawing of the new Ikea door and window sensor, showing the back of the sensor and the back of the magnetic fob.
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The new Ikea Vallhorn motion sensor.
Image: Ikea
Ikea’s virtual interior design service brings in a pro to pick out your new furnitureIkea’s virtual interior design service brings in a pro to pick out your new furniture
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The Symfonisk picture frame speaker from Ikea and Sonos drops to an even lower priceThe Symfonisk picture frame speaker from Ikea and Sonos drops to an even lower price
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Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Ikea’s new cover art for its Sonos wall speaker is simply stunning.

The three new covers for the Sonos-collab Symfonisk picture frame speaker are inspired by Latin American street art.

The covers snap onto the speaker and add some much-needed color to the current options. I love to see more adventurous decor in the smart home — and don’t forget, you can pair two of these speakers with a Sonos Arc or Beam sound bar for surround sound with some serious style. The new covers go on sale in April.

Diana Ordóñez’ print on a Symfonisk picture frame speaker is inspired by the colorful masks of Colombian carnival.
Diana Ordóñez’ print on a Symfonisk picture frame speaker is inspired by the colorful masks of Colombian carnival.
Image: Ikea
Ikea’s Sonos-powered Symfonisk picture frame speaker is a screaming deal at $65 offIkea’s Sonos-powered Symfonisk picture frame speaker is a screaming deal at $65 off
Deals
Deals
Antonio G. Di BenedettoCommentsComment Icon Bubble
Exclusive: Ikea’s new Dirigera hub and Home smart app deliver big improvements

Easier to use and stable. But let’s check in again after a few months.

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Ikea and Electrify America team up to install over 200 public fast chargers in 18 statesIkea and Electrify America team up to install over 200 public fast chargers in 18 states
Ikea
Ikea
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Ikea’s new virtual design tool deletes your furniture and replaces it with Ikea’sIkea’s new virtual design tool deletes your furniture and replaces it with Ikea’s
Ikea
Ikea
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Ikea announces record player that might actually make it to stores this timeIkea announces record player that might actually make it to stores this time
Entertainment
Entertainment
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Ikea overhauls its smart home with new Matter-ready hub and app

Dirigera makes Home Smart easier to use and more robust

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Ikea Nordmärke portable wireless charger details revealed by the FCCIkea Nordmärke portable wireless charger details revealed by the FCC
Tech
Tech
Umar ShakirCommentsComment Icon Bubble
Ikea’s latest Sonos lamp speaker is still an acquired taste

Better looks, easier bulbs, still niche

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Ikea and Sonos announce new Symfonisk lamp speaker, coming October 12thIkea and Sonos announce new Symfonisk lamp speaker, coming October 12th
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Chris WelchCommentsComment Icon Bubble
Ikea’s $39.99 pad adds built-in wireless charging to almost any tableIkea’s $39.99 pad adds built-in wireless charging to almost any table
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Ikea’s gaming range launches globally next monthIkea’s gaming range launches globally next month
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Jon PorterCommentsComment Icon Bubble
Ikea and Sonos picture frame speaker review: wall of sound

The latest Symfonisk collaboration is another attempt to camouflage tech in the home

Chris WelchCommentsComment Icon Bubble
Ikea and Sonos announce picture frame speaker, coming July 15th for $199Ikea and Sonos announce picture frame speaker, coming July 15th for $199
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Ikea is working with Sonos on a hidden speaker built into art you hang on the wallIkea is working with Sonos on a hidden speaker built into art you hang on the wall
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Tech
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HomeKit makes Ikea’s cheap buttons and motion sensors much more powerful
Ikea’s huge new gamer gear lineup includes this weird wooden desk handIkea’s huge new gamer gear lineup includes this weird wooden desk hand
Ikea
Ikea
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