With software updates for both its app and the smart home hub, the Matter era has also begun at Ikea. The latest version of the Ikea app “Home Smart” (Android: 1.21.0 / iOS: 1.27.1) transforms the Dirigera Hub into a so-called Matter Bridge if desired. The feature can be activated in the hub’s system settings (software version 2.521.6) under “Test center”. A new menu item then appears in the Integrations section: The three familiar options for Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa and Google Home are joined by a fourth called Matter Bridge.
The Dirigera Hub as bridge
As a Matter Bridge, the Dirigera hub has an intermediary function. It passes on its connected smart home products to other systems so that they can take over control. This already worked for the three mentioned above – Amazon, Apple and Google – via individual interfaces to their respective platform.
Thanks to the cross-manufacturer Matter interface, however, other systems that also support the standard can now be added. Read more about this topic in the article “How to set up a smart home with Matter – step by step”. In the long term – according to Matter’s goal – the standardized protocol should make individually programmed integrations obsolete. If the initiative is successful, there should eventually be just one interface for connecting to all possible smart home systems.
Currently: Matter only for lights
At the moment, however, Matter in the Dirigera hub is not yet a fully-fledged replacement. Although the software update was released around a year later than announced, Ikea has limited its bridge function to smart lighting at launch. So only lamps and lights from the hub appear in a connected Matter system. Other products such as air purifiers, electric blinds or shutters continue to be controlled via the Home Smart app and the familiar integrations.
To slowly gain experience, Ikea wants to gradually expand the range of supported product groups. For this reason, the company is still calling the Bridge function a “beta” and has built in an option for customer feedback: Users can rate the feature in the app – with a “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” button.
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