{"id":72614,"date":"2026-02-01T18:53:01","date_gmt":"2026-02-01T21:53:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tech.einnews.com\/article\/888497660"},"modified":"2026-02-01T18:53:01","modified_gmt":"2026-02-01T21:53:01","slug":"how-ikea-became-my-favorite-tech-company","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/2026\/02\/01\/how-ikea-became-my-favorite-tech-company\/","title":{"rendered":"How IKEA became my favorite tech company"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"An Credit: Bertel King \/ How-To Geek<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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I cover many tech companies, with Samsung phones and accessories currently serving as my center of gravity, but there\u2019s one brand primarily associated with furniture and home decor that has come out of nowhere to become the tech company I\u2019m most interested in.<\/p>\n

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IKEA has released a new line of smart home products <\/h2>\n

2025 was the year I went from having zero interest in smart home tech to having the most teched out house I know. I bought 50 smart switches all at once<\/a>. I installed a smart thermostat. My living room and bedroom now have lamps set to a schedule, which we can also control remotely via smart buttons.<\/p>\n

All of this is thanks to the Matter standard<\/a>, which means I can invest in all of this tech without selling my soul to a single company and praying that someone\u2019s remote servers never shut down. Matter is an open standard, like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, that connects various devices together and makes sure they speak the same language.<\/p>\n

At the end of last year, IKEA released a new range of smart home products<\/a>. This is hardly IKEA\u2019s first foray into the world of tech products. The company has long offered a smart home hub and a line of gadgets that communicate using Zigbee<\/a>, an older standard with different strengths. I\u2019ve never had any interest in IoT devices dependent on bespoke apps, Z-wave, or Zigbee\u2014but IKEA\u2019s newest line is based entirely on Matter. IKEA hasn\u2019t stuck a tepid toe into the water, either. It has gone all-in.<\/p>\n

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These are exactly the kind of Matter devices I want <\/h2>\n
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\"IKEA Credit: Bertel King \/ How-To Geek<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Many companies add in Matter compatibility as an afterthought. They have their own existing app that they\u2019d prefer you use, but they offer Matter as an extra perk. This isn\u2019t inherently nefarious. After all, there is much that can\u2019t be done over Matter just yet. The Govee app allows me to animate my floor lamps or even my Christmas lights<\/a>. That app can also sync my lights to music. None of that can be done via Matter.<\/p>\n

Some products advertise their Matter compatibility, but you can\u2019t actually access a Matter pairing code until you first create an account, install their app, and generate a code there. I am particularly disgusted by that kind of hoodwink.<\/p>\n

IKEA\u2019s new products are purely Matter devices. They don\u2019t require a special app for setup, nor is functionality locked behind a bespoke companion app. This doesn\u2019t mean they always work well. People are encountering issues with IKEA\u2019s BILRESA scroll wheel in particular, which functions wildly differently depending on your smart home platform\u2014if it functions at all. But I\u2019m particularly happy to see a company design an ecosystem of products around what Matter can already do today.<\/p>\n

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The prices couldn’t be better <\/h2>\n

I recently reviewed the Flic Duo<\/a>, which is a wireless smart button that you can map to whichever smart devices or automations you want. When people hear smart home, they often think apps and voice assistants, yet it\u2019s buttons like this that strike many as the most impressive. Not everyone wants to talk to a voice assistant that\u2019s always listening, but many would love to have a button on their coffee table that turns on the ceiling fan.<\/p>\n

The problem with the Flic Duo is its price. I was thoroughly impressed with the product, but $60 is a tough sell for what is ultimately just a button. While it can do many impressive things, I just want a button on my desk that controls a few portable lights. $60 is a lot to pay for that.<\/p>\n

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<\/i> Subscribe to the newsletter for smart-home picks and deals <\/h3>\n
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Looking for clear, price-conscious coverage of Matter-compatible smart-home gear? Subscribe to the newsletter for hands-on testing, buying guides and compact recommendations on smart buttons, sensors, and affordable setups \u2014 plus related tech coverage to <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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