Ikea plugs into SmartThings

Ikea’s newest smart-home gadgets now connect directly to Samsung SmartThings, cutting out the extra setup that used to slow the pairing process. (news.samsung.com) Samsung said on April 21 that SmartThings now supports 25 Ikea Matter-over-Thread devices, including bulbs and plugs. The company had introduced an Ikea Matter Bridge option in 2024, but that setup relied on Ikea’s DIRIGERA hub to pull devices into SmartThings. (news.samsung.com) (blog.smartthings.com) Matter is a shared smart-home standard, and Thread is the low-power wireless network many newer sensors and lights use to talk to each other. Ikea said in September 2024 that DIRIGERA would become a Matter Bridge so its connected products could work with platforms from other brands. (ikea.com) Samsung had already previewed the broader Ikea tie-up at CES 2026, saying Ikea’s new lineup of 21 Matter-over-Thread devices would work natively with SmartThings. This week’s update expands that to 25 devices and focuses on smoother handling inside the SmartThings app and automations. (blog.smartthings.com) (news.samsung.com) Samsung said the new support lets SmartThings recognize Ikea products more cleanly, including categories such as sensors and remotes that can be harder to map correctly across platforms. The Verge reported the update is aimed at fixing earlier problems with how some of Ikea’s two dozen Matter-over-Thread devices appeared and behaved inside SmartThings. (news.samsung.com) (theverge.com) The pitch is partly about price. Samsung’s January announcement highlighted Ikea smart-home products starting at $5.99, while The Next Web noted many Samsung TVs already include the Thread border router hardware needed to run Thread devices in a home. (blog.smartthings.com) (thenextweb.com) That combination matters in practical terms: a shopper can buy a low-cost Ikea bulb or sensor and add it to a SmartThings setup that may already be anchored by a Samsung TV, Family Hub refrigerator, soundbar, tablet, or phone. SmartThings said those Samsung products can act as hubs for Matter and Thread devices, reducing the need for a separate box in some homes. (blog.smartthings.com) The smart-home industry has been chasing this kind of cross-brand setup for years, because older systems often forced buyers to stay inside one company’s app, hub, and accessory list. Ikea’s 2024 Matter move and Samsung’s 2026 direct-device support both push in the opposite direction: one standard, more brands, fewer workarounds. (ikea.com) (news.samsung.com) For Ikea, the update makes its bargain-priced lights and accessories easier to fold into a larger automation system. For Samsung, it gives SmartThings one more argument that the platform can serve as the front door for mixed-brand smart homes. (engadget.com) (digitaltrends.com)