Matter Matures: IKEA + Samsung
- Samsung SmartThings added direct support for IKEA Matter devices, enabling many IKEA accessories to work without an IKEA hub. - Reports note IKEA's affordable devices, including $6 smart bulbs, now integrate into SmartThings within the expanding Matter ecosystem. - The move suggests Matter setup reliability is improving, though transport differences like Thread versus Zigbee still matter for installations ( ).
Matter is supposed to make smart-home gear from different brands work together, and Samsung now says 25 IKEA devices can connect straight to SmartThings without an IKEA hub. (news.samsung.com) Samsung said the update covers IKEA smart bulbs, plugs, motion sensors, door sensors, water leak sensors, air-quality sensors, temperature-and-humidity sensors, and a scroll wheel remote. The company published the announcement on April 20, 2026. (news.samsung.com) IKEA’s newer lineup is built around Matter over Thread, which means the devices use Matter as the shared language and Thread as the low-power radio network underneath. SmartThings says Thread devices still need a Matter controller with a Thread border router to join the system. (ikea.com) (support.smartthings.com) That hardware detail explains why “works with Matter” does not mean every setup is identical. SmartThings’ support page says a Thread border router links a Thread network to Wi‑Fi or Ethernet, and Samsung has previously pointed to SmartThings Station as one example. (support.smartthings.com) (developer.samsung.com) The IKEA move also extends a partnership that started with a different workaround. In October 2024, SmartThings announced a Matter Bridge integration that pulled existing IKEA setups into SmartThings through IKEA’s hub rather than pairing devices directly. (news.samsung.com) (blog.smartthings.com) Price is part of the pitch. The Verge reported in March 2026 that IKEA’s Matter-compatible bulbs reached U.S. stores starting at $5.99 for a basic adjustable white bulb. (theverge.com) IKEA has been shifting most of its smart-home catalog onto Matter as it rebuilds the range. Its U.S. smart-home page says “almost all” IKEA smart products now use the standard, and IKEA’s global launch note from November 2025 introduced 21 new Matter-compatible products. (ikea.com 1) (ikea.com 2) The standards group behind Matter has been pushing the same architecture across the industry. The Connectivity Standards Alliance says Matter is designed to increase compatibility across brands, and its Matter 1.4 update added guidance for home routers and access points that combine Wi‑Fi with Thread border-router functions. (csa-iot.org 1) (csa-iot.org 2) For shoppers, the practical change is simpler than the standards language: more IKEA devices can now show up inside SmartThings as first-class devices instead of arriving through a separate bridge. For Samsung and IKEA, it is another test of whether Matter can finally cut down the extra hubs, apps, and setup steps that defined the last decade of smart homes. (news.samsung.com) (support.smartthings.com)
