IKEA continues its quest for smart home appliances with the launch of a Google Matter-ready hub called DIRIGERA and a new IKEA Home smart app. With the new device and app, the Swedish company promises to handle more segments of smart devices and make device integration easier. It says the app will be “convenient, easy to navigate and easy to use” for anyone just getting started with smart home technology.
“With the new DIRIGERA smart products hub, users can add all IKEA smart products to the system and control them individually, in sets or in groups in the new IKEA Home smart app. This allows users to create different scenes with pre-functions of the smart set up products and increase personalization options for the smart home,” the company said.
IKEA’s first smart home hub/gateway TRADFRI and app were launched back in 2014, so it was long overdue for a refresh. The company said you can still use that device, and current “IKEA products can connect to and work equally well with the DIRIGERA hub.”
IKEA’s smart home and appliance family continues to grow at a fairly rapid pace. Earlier this year, it launched the VAPPEBY LED bulb that doubles as a Spotify-enabled Bluetooth speaker. It also recently revamped the SYMFONISK bookshelf speaker, built in partnership with Sonos, along with smart blinds, a smart air purifier, and other appliances.
The DIRIGERA hub and the new IKEA smart home app will launch in October 2022, the company said. It will also unveil remote “away from home” functionality in the first half of 2023.
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