Swedish furniture manufacturer IKEA kept its words, and recently released an update for its Tradfri gateway with an aim to add voice control functionality to its smart lighting range. The new software update makes IKEA’s low-cost smart bulbs compatible with Amazon Alexa and Apple Homekit, and now, users can control the IKEA smart lighting with simple voice commands to Alexa-enabled devices and Apple’s Home app.
Björn Block, Business Leader for IKEA Home Smart said;
We are super excited to announce that we now are compatible with Amazon Alexa and Apple’s Home App. Our developers have worked hard to make our smart lighting products to work with others on the market and now we have taken the next step adding functionality to our range.
IKEA had launched the Tradfri smart lighting collection earlier this year, and then, in August, the company unveiled its plans to add voice control functionality to the range. The 1000 lumen wireless dimmable E26 LED bulb starts at just US$12, but one also has to purchase the companion internet gateway to make them run. IKEA is offering its variants in different combinations.
You can buy it with a motion sensor unit to control using gestures of your hand, or complete with a dimmer unit and remote control. There are various base options to match the needs of different regions of the world.
Until now, the IKEA smart bulbs were compatible with smart-home hubs based on ZigBee technology, but now you can also steer them with smart home assistants. The update is free for all and was released officially yesterday.
Via: IKEA
