IKEA has revealed that it’ll be updating its smart home catalog in 2024 with a pair of new smart blinds, and they could be some of 2023's best smart home devices.
Smart blinds are just like regular blinds when it comes to helping to block sunlight, but rather than having to physically pull them up and down you can control them with your smart home hub or a controller. This makes them perfect for those hard-to-reach windows – or for your home theatre room as you can dim the lights without leaving the couch.
IKEA currently produces two types of smart blind – the Fyrtur and Kadrilj – and has confirmed to the German tech site SmartApfel (opens in new tab) that updated models will be available next year. IKEA has yet to confirm how these new models will be upgraded compared to the options currently available on the market, nor how much they’ll cost.
On the latter point, we expect they’ll be priced starting at $120 / £115 and £65 (around $89) for the Fyrtur and Kadrilj respectively (based on current product prices), though we’ll have to wait and see what’s announced next year.
If you’re after some smart blinds and don’t want to wait, many of IKEA’s current Fyrtur and Kadrilj models are discounted in the regions where they’re available. Just head to IKEA.com (opens in new tab) and search for smart blinds.
IKEA's smarter than you think
IKEA’s smart home lineup is surprisingly impressive, finding a good balance between affordability and functionality. This includes the Matter-compatible smart home hub it has developed but also a range of other products.
Earlier this year IKEA unveiled its beefed-up Vindstryka smart sensor. This nifty product not only measures your home’s humidity and temperature, but helpful stats too like air quality using PM2.5 (particulate matter) and TVOC (total volatile organic compound) sensors. To help you keep track of all this data there’s a screen on the front of the Vindstryka, but it can also connect to smart home hubs to automatically trigger other gadgets if readings reach a certain level – such as adjusting your smart thermostat if temperatures get too high, or turning on your smart dehumidifier.
Plus, while they aren’t smart speakers, IKEA’s Symfonisk audio products – created in collaboration with Sonos – are excellent additions to your home’s sound system and can be controlled by your smart devices. In our four-and-a-half-star Symfonisk Picture Frame Speaker review we complemented the gadget’s “perfect blend of design and performance,” and in our four-star Symfonisk Table Lamp Speaker review we found that the “elegant” speaker boasted decent audio – though it’s admittedly not the best wireless speaker out there.
All this is to say, the next time you’re looking to upgrade your smart home you should remember to check out IKEA as well as Amazon, Walmart, and the more typical stores you’d think of when buying tech.
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