When it comes to smart home accessories, simplicity is key. From remotely adjusting thermostats to digital door locks, technology in the home is designed to make our lives easier but, as of yet, these technologies haven't been particularly affordable. IKEA is coming to our rescue.
The retail giant has announced that its current HomeSmart products will soon be compatible with a wide range of devices including Apple HomeKit and Amazon's Alexa. Read more: Google Assistant is coming to the iPhone. Here's how to use it
IKEA's TRÅDFRI lighting range currently allows users to dim and adjust the colour temperature of home lighting, or create pre-set moods and timers from a mobile or tablet. Yet this system has lacked the functionality to work with smart assistants or other compatible devices.
IKEA has now announced an update to the range, coming in summer 2017, allowing the lighting system to work with Amazon's Alexa, Apple's HomeKit and Google Assistant – effectively giving users the power to control their affordable lights with their voice.
Read more: Amazon Echo review: Human-like AI is worth the money even if it does have teething problems
This improved connectivity would make the IKEA smart lighting systems some of the cheapest and most adaptable on the market, with the smart bulbs expecting to be priced at around £15 each. The Philips Hue, a favourite in the world of smart lighting, can adjust the colour and intensity of lights directly from a phone, but at £59.00 for a starter kit of two white bulbs, the price is steeper than IKEA's upcoming models. The current TRÅDFRI gateway uses an app to control each light source individually and starts at £25.
IKEA hopes this update will act as a step towards further smar thome integration. In a statement, it said it wants to "work together with other accessories used together with HomeKit, Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa - such as thermostats, door locks, sensors, ceiling fans, blinds and more."
Jeanette Skjelmose, head of lighting and IKEA Home Smart, added that in the coming years the company hopes to further "expand its [solutions] for a smart and connected home."
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
