Ikea Tradfri smart bulb system will get Apple HomeKit upgrade in the summer

AppleInsider

In late summer or early autumn Ikea will roll out a firmware update to its Tradfri network gateway, to make its line of smart bulbs compatible with Apple's HomeKit.

The addition was announced by Ikea on Tuesday. While the proclamation is from Ikea headquarters in the Netherlands, the firmware update will likely be international as there is no difference between the European hardware, and the U.S. version.

The Tradfri system from Ikea spans nearly every kind of residential light bulb connector, with desk lamp compatible E12, Edison connector E27, and fixture-compatible GU10 bulbs available in the system. A network gateway plugs into an Ethernet connector on a router or hub, allowing for the iOS app to control connected bulbs.

By itself, a stand-alone bulb and a dimmer remote that can control up to 10 bulbs retails for $19.99. A motion sensor kit with a single bulb retails for $25.

To use the Tradfri system either now with the Ikea app or after HomeKit compatiblity is added, the gateway is required, and sells for $30. Individual bulbs are available for as low as $11.99.

The Tradfri app requires iOS 8, and occupies 41.5 MB of device storage space.

The firmware update will also add Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility.

Introduced in 2014, HomeKit allows users to connect to a variety of compatible so-called "internet of things" devices through the iOS Home app in conjunction with each other, as opposed to a series of disconnected interfaces.

esquirecats

There is a real opportunity for ikea to be the goto solution for not just homekit, but all home automation lighting. Their offerings are cheap, their product selection is wide and their distribution network is significant. No current provider is offering that magic three as yet.

[deleted user]

surely homekit was always planned if this is a firmware upgrade as afaik, homekit required the use of certain certified, compatible chips. Also time-wise they must surely have been seeking apple homekit certification some time ago given the time it appears to take other companies to achieve this (many months if not years).

slurpy

I had zero interest in these products, but now I'm paying attention. 

ihatescreennames

Does anyone have experience with any of these bulbs yet? Are they any good? Also, what are those colored pucks to the right of the first 3 bulbs in the photo?

polymnia

ihatescreennames said:

Does anyone have experience with any of these bulbs yet? Are they any good? Also, what are those colored pucks to the right of the first 3 bulbs in the photo?

Quality is important to me as well. So far the Hue bulbs have performed best of the ones I've used. Unfortunately, they are quite expensive. And I'm going to be putting them in a lot of IKEA lMos, kinda funny. I imagine the quality of Hue bulbs is due to the smarts happening in-bulb. But maybe if IKEA controls the fixture, bulb & gateway they are able to approach that level of integration and quality?

mike wuerthele

ihatescreennames said:

Does anyone have experience with any of these bulbs yet? Are they any good? Also, what are those colored pucks to the right of the first 3 bulbs in the photo?

Dimmer switches.

I've only played with a few at my local Ikea -- not long enough to tell if they're any good or not. We'll be examining them after the HomeKit patch launches.

edited May 2017

mike wuerthele

adm1 said:

surely homekit was always planned if this is a firmware upgrade as afaik, homekit required the use of certain certified, compatible chips. Also time-wise they must surely have been seeking apple homekit certification some time ago given the time it appears to take other companies to achieve this (many months if not years).

It may have been. The bulbs as they stand communicate with a pre-upgraded Philips Hue bridge, but not properly with an upgraded one.

hmurchison

Saving me a couple of dollars on a bulb isn't going to sway me from Hue.  However I do like those LED Panels and 
that's an area where Philips does not have a product.  It's basically Nanoleaf Aurora and this for now (excluding importing from China through Aliexpress) 

strangedays

Mike Wuerthele said:

ihatescreennames said:

Does anyone have experience with any of these bulbs yet? Are they any good? Also, what are those colored pucks to the right of the first 3 bulbs in the photo?

Dimmer switches.

I've only played with a few at my local Ikea -- not long enough to tell if they're any good or not. We'll be examining them after the HomeKit patch launches.

I don't think those puck shapes next to the first three bulbs are dimmer switches. The other, flatter pucks on the right-most bulbs look like dimmers since they have buttons and icons. But not those first three. 

edited May 2017

mike wuerthele

StrangeDays said:

Mike Wuerthele said:

ihatescreennames said:

Does anyone have experience with any of these bulbs yet? Are they any good? Also, what are those colored pucks to the right of the first 3 bulbs in the photo?

Dimmer switches.

I've only played with a few at my local Ikea -- not long enough to tell if they're any good or not. We'll be examining them after the HomeKit patch launches.

I don't think those puck shapes next to the first three bulbs are dimmer switches. The other, flatter pucks on the right-most bulbs look like dimmers since they have buttons and icons. But not those first three. 

It is a dimmer switch. Source: personal inspection, and:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00349934/

The other one is the system's "remote control." The dimmer switch controls the bulb that it is paired with. The remote control can do a bunch at once.

edited May 2017

rayz2016

What I really want from IKEA is an app that will show me how to get out of the store without having to walk through every single department.

But their meatballs are delicious, so swings and roundabouts.

edited May 2017

mike wuerthele

Rayz2016 said:

What I really want from IKEA is an app that will show me how to get out of the store without walking through every single department.

The app hosts store maps that include most of the shortcuts.

ihatescreennames

Mike Wuerthele said:

ihatescreennames said:

Does anyone have experience with any of these bulbs yet? Are they any good? Also, what are those colored pucks to the right of the first 3 bulbs in the photo?

Dimmer switches.

I've only played with a few at my local Ikea -- not long enough to tell if they're any good or not. We'll be examining them after the HomeKit patch launches.

Interesting, thanks.

I'll be curious to know after the patch if they work with the upgraded Hue Bridge.  I have a few spots in the house where it would be nice to have an inexpensive HomeKit bulb that would work with what I already have.

mike wuerthele

ihatescreennames said:

Mike Wuerthele said:

ihatescreennames said:

Does anyone have experience with any of these bulbs yet? Are they any good? Also, what are those colored pucks to the right of the first 3 bulbs in the photo?

Dimmer switches.

I've only played with a few at my local Ikea -- not long enough to tell if they're any good or not. We'll be examining them after the HomeKit patch launches.

Interesting, thanks.

I'll be curious to know after the patch if they work with the upgraded Hue Bridge.  I have a few spots in the house where it would be nice to have an inexpensive HomeKit bulb that would work with what I already have.

That's a good question. The reason that they don't work right now is the bulb mis-identifies itself to the Hue Bridge. If Ikea fixes that, then presumably it would.

fallenjt

Now, that's what I've been waiting for. Let Ikea take care of HomeKit compatible devices with affordable prices. Current Apple HomeKit devices are jokingly expensive. That's why I refuse to use them but those Alexa compatible ones.

ihatescreennames

fallenjt said:

Now, that's what I've been waiting for. Let Ikea take care of HomeKit compatible devices with affordable prices. Current Apple HomeKit devices are jokingly expensive. That's why I refuse to use them but those Alexa compatible ones.

I may be wrong but I thought the ones that are not HomeKit compatible lack the security features that make the extra cost worthwhile. 

command_f

AppleInsider said:

While the proclamation is from Ikea headquarters in the Netherlands,

Ikea, that wonderful flat-pack company, is actually Swedish, not Dutch (note the .se address). I know it all looks the same at that distance but it matters to us on this side of the pond.

Now, tell me again, which coast is California on? 

edited May 2017

mike wuerthele

command_f said:

AppleInsider said:

While the proclamation is from Ikea headquarters in the Netherlands,

Ikea, that wonderful flat-pack company, is actually Swedish, not Dutch (note the .se address). I know it all looks the same at that distance but it matters to us on this side of the pond.

Now, tell me again, which coast is California on? 

The headquarters is in Delft, Netherlands is it not? That's what the PR says, at least.

edited May 2017

command_f

Mike Wuerthele said:

command_f said:

AppleInsider said:

While the proclamation is from Ikea headquarters in the Netherlands,

Ikea, that wonderful flat-pack company, is actually Swedish, not Dutch (note the .se address). I know it all looks the same at that distance but it matters to us on this side of the pond.

Now, tell me again, which coast is California on? 

The headquarters is in Delft, Netherlands is it not? That's what the PR says, at least.

Well I'm d*mned! You're quite right, looks like a tax avoidance (i.e. legal) strategy. Their structure seems to be a tad complicated (wikipedia), I bet the move was popular in Sweden!

polymnia

command_f said:

Mike Wuerthele said:

command_f said:

AppleInsider said:

While the proclamation is from Ikea headquarters in the Netherlands,

Ikea, that wonderful flat-pack company, is actually Swedish, not Dutch (note the .se address). I know it all looks the same at that distance but it matters to us on this side of the pond.

Now, tell me again, which coast is California on? 

The headquarters is in Delft, Netherlands is it not? That's what the PR says, at least.

Well I'm d*mned! You're quite right, looks like a tax avoidance (i.e. legal) strategy. Their structure seems to be a tad complicated (wikipedia), I bet the move was popular in Sweden!

I assume your assertion of Ikea's headquarters location being a tax avoidance strategy is as thoroughly researched as your original criticism of our long-suffering editor.