Get ready, smart home enthusiasts! IKEA is making waves by revamping its smart home products in a bold move to integrate seamlessly with other brands—hub or no hub required. Starting January, the Swedish furniture titan will launch over 20 new smart devices powered by Matter-over-Thread, including lights, sensors, and remotes, with even more innovations on the horizon!

Transforming the audio landscape, IKEA is also gearing up to fill the void left by Sonos' Symfonisk with an exciting new lineup of budget-friendly Bluetooth speakers. Expect the retro-styled Nattbad for only $50 and the versatile Blomprakt, which doubles as a speaker and table lamp, making their debut in October.

IKEA's vision is crystal clear: to make smart home technology accessible and affordable for everyone. "We learned from our experiences with Zigbee and Sonos, as well as our pivotal role in shaping Matter," says David Granath from IKEA. "We’re committed to providing products that align with the needs of our customers, and this launch is just the beginning!"

Last week, IKEA introduced a beta update for its Dirigera smart hub that transforms it into a Matter Controller, activating its previously dormant Thread radio. This new feature allows it to connect with any Matter-compatible devices, marking a significant leap towards a highly connected and user-friendly smart home.

While initially, the Dirigera hub will only support the new Matter devices IKEA is rolling out—leaving out robot vacuums and door locks—it promises future updates to expand compatibility as more products are introduced.

The Dirigera hub is also functioning as a Matter Bridge, allowing existing Zigbee devices to join larger ecosystems like Apple Home and Amazon Alexa. The latest update includes Matter 1.4 and Thread 1.4 support, enhancing features such as energy monitoring!

IKEA is tight-lipped about the specific details of its upcoming devices, but Granath assures that they’ll replace existing offerings, with new smart bulbs, plugs, sensors, and air-quality monitors on the way. And don’t worry about breaking the bank—prices will remain competitive, starting around $10!

Even with the shift away from Zigbee, IKEA is keeping the beneficial Touchlink functionality, allowing devices to pair directly without needing an app. This means your old Zigbee remotes can still control the sleek new Thread bulbs.

What’s more, IKEA’s upcoming Matter-over-Thread devices will also operate outside of the IKEA ecosystem, letting users seamlessly integrate them into other compatible smart home setups like Apple Home, Google Home, and more!

With this strategic pivot, IKEA positions itself as a pioneering force in the smart home industry, promising to simplify tech for everyday users. Granath emphasizes the importance of offering value—“Whether you use our hub or another, we want the experience to be clean and easy.”

This significant shift to embrace Matter places IKEA among the frontrunners in the mainstream market, even as challenges like slow adoption of the standard persist. Granath remains optimistic: “IKEA is the perfect catalyst for making smart home tech accessible and affordable to all.”

While it’s true that Matter has faced hurdles, IKEA’s steady approach aims to ensure that customers receive a seamless experience. Get ready to see if this tech wave will truly transform the smart home landscape. With Granath optimistic, the future looks bright for IKEA’s ambitious overhaul!