The IKEA TRÅDFRI smart lighting system now boasts support for the Google Assistant, as revealed by the official changelog attached to the latest version of the Android app designed for controlling the IoT solution. IKEA started rolling out the update bringing Google Assistant functionalities to its product on Thursday, with the new software build of the service already being available for download on a global level. No other major additions have been introduced to the Android app as part of the same update, with its changelog not even mentioning performance improvements and bug fixes that are often part of new mobile software releases.
The development comes nearly a year after the Swedish furniture and appliances giant promised to update its smart lighting solutions with support for the Google Assistant. The company has been increasing its focus on the Internet of Things segment in recent times, having so far embraced Google’s ARCore platform as part of an IKEA Place app update and released its own lineup of Bluetooth speakers called ENEBY. The latter series is presumed to have been created in collaboration with Sonos, a Santa Barbara, California-based audio equipment manufacturer with whom IKEA announced a product partnership last December, disclosing its intentions to deliver affordable speakers and other solutions meant to allow for a contemporary listening experience.
The addition of Google Assistant support to the IKEA TRÅDFRI app makes the system compatible with all of today’s most popular digital companions as the smart lighting solution was previously made compatible with Amazon’s Alexa and Apple’s Siri. Taking advantage of the newly introduced functionality is as simple as opening the Integrations tab found under the TRÅDFRI app’s settings and adding your smart lighting to your smart home setup through the Google Home app afterward. IKEA’s TRÅDFRI Gateway Kit presently retails for approximately $80 and is touted as a direct rival to the Philips Hue ecosystem.
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