Last summer, Ikea announced that it was advancing in its intention to take another step in the creation of its new ecosystem for smart homes, in the style of what Google Home or Alexa does. The Nordic company also said that its new control system was based on two elements: a state-of-the-art hub to which the devices would be connected and a new control application.
Now, Ikea informs the launch of a new platform that began production last October and is starting to be implemented with the sale in several countries of the new hub DIRIGERA. It’s one of the most intrepid bets from the Swedish chain in recent years, moving from only selling furniture and electric devices to the next step.
Ikea’s plan for easy-to-use smart homes
The company’s idea is that its costumers will be able to mount a smarthome integrating all its products, from speakers and lamps to aire pirifiers and curtains. For that purpose, Ikea decided to go with the Matter standard, a protocol that unifies all the different ecosystems actually being used.
The DIRIGERA hub is the centerpiece of your new smart home. It enables you to successfully connect and manage all your Ikea’s smart devices, and even play some music. Move up or down your roller curtains and control your air purifier in many ways: the IKEA Home smart app, remote controls, shortcut buttons, voice, or even motion.
It’s good to know, of course, that the DIRIGERA hub require a constant, stable Wi-Fi network and connects to your router with the provided cable. To use your hub, download the Ikea Home smart app, where you will be guided step-by-step to perfectly set the system right. If you want to use the voice assistant, just pair your device with Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, or Google Home, through integrations in Ikea’s app.
Features of DIRIGERA hub devices
The piece is elegant, as anything that Ikea produces. It’s a flat, matte white device that may resemble to other smart hubs like Google Home Mini, or the Xiaomi Mi Smart. It should be connected all the time with a USB-C plug and the ethernet port (for Wi-Fi networks with 2,4 and 5 GHz).
“DIRIGERA and the new IKEA home smart app is the heart of a new smart home experience from IKEA. Together they make it possible to merge digital solutions with life at home in a simple and accessible way. With better and more simple integrations of technology into everyday life, we have the potential to positively affect moments and activities in the home, like creating a better wake-up routine or helping you get a good night’s rest, says Rebecca Töreman, Business Leader in IKEA Home smart.
“As contributors to the development of Matter, we at IKEA are proud to be a part of enabling various smart products to interact with each other and provide more smart home opportunities for the many people worldwide. At IKEA, we will work towards Matter certification step-by-step, and the first update is expected in the next couple of months. We are just getting started,” she added.
The Swedish company applied its decades of life at home expertise, knowing exactly what its costumers needs and making it digital, for a better, simpler life. A couple years ago, smart homes sounded like something for skilled people that can set complicated electronic hardware and software, and now it’s more reachable thanks to Ikea’s own ecosystem. The easy-to-use smart home experience that IKEA offers, aims to lower the threshold for people to set up and use a smart home.