The Tradfri line of Ikea smart bulbs will soon have added support for Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google Assistant, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) HomeKit and Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) Alexa. Ikea announced that the Tradfri kit which comprises a gateway kit, dimming lights, motion sensor kit, illuminated panels and LED bulbs will work with various major voice control technologies beginning summer or fall. This is a significant step for Ikea’s smart bulbs as since it markets itself as a lighting solution that is user-friendly.
“Making our products work with others on the market takes us one step closer to meet people’s needs, making it easier to interact with your smart home products,” Björn Block, Ikea’s product manager said.
Smart furniture
Ikea’s smart home products were unveiled in 2015 and besides smart lighting systems also included furniture that was technologically advanced. With some of Ikea’s furniture products, it is possible to offer wireless charging for some of the compatible smartphones. Currently, it is possible to control Tradfri using an app or a remote control.
The development now puts the Ikea smart bulbs in direct competition with Philips Hue. While Tradfri bulbs are a little more expensive than Hue bulbs, they have an advantage in that they shine brighter. They also offer more variety to customers in that they are available in a wide range of sizes, shapes and colors.
Receptive audience
However, when it comes to the gateway Ikea’s is cheaper than Philips. Tradfri’s gateway for controlling light bulbs is priced at $29.99 while Philips’ gateway costs $59.99. Another advantage that Ikea has in lighting systems compared to Philips is that as the largest seller of furniture on the globe with about 340 stores located in 28 countries, it has the opportunity to introduce the smart lighting concept to a highly receptive customer base of shoppers buying furniture and other durable household items. Besides the smart lighting products, Ikea also plans to unveil more products for the smart home in the near future.
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