“Will lead”, a name well found by Ikea for a hub intended to manage all connected objects? A little research on an online translator tells us that this is what it is, the word meaning “to redirect or convey” in Swedish. The new Hub has already taken place on the French site of the manufacturer and in other countries of the world.
The gateway will take over from the old TRÅDFRI model, a generic name for all of the brand’s connected objects. On the design side, Ikea has bet on sobriety with a round and white design and a more modest size than the old model. The device can simply be placed flat on a piece of furniture, but also be fixed to the wall. It comes with its USB power supply and an Ethernet cable for connecting to a router.
To control all the objects in the range, whether speakers, bulbs, blinds or air purifiers, the manufacturer also offers a new version of its IKEA Home smart application. The Verge site has already been able to experiment with the new features and tells us that Ikea does not offer a migration tool and that objects must be manually added to the new hub. However, it is not necessary to remove them from the old hub first.
In the application interface, colored blocks represent the different rooms of the house with quick access to activate or deactivate each object. The user also has the possibility of creating scenes in order to synchronize the different objects.
Ikea gives an example of the type of routine that can be put in place: “Imagine waking up in a bedroom with crisp air, your blinds slowly rising as the lamps gradually brighten the room — all to the sound of your favorite music and the smell of fresh coffee on the way. to be prepared”.
If compatibility with the Matter protocol is announced soon, it is not yet in place. In particular, it will allow devices to be supported via the local network, for example in the event of an Internet failure. The Amazon, Google and Apple ecosystems are already supported in order to control objects via voice commands.
The only constraint is the obligation to place the device near the router in order to connect it via Ethernet. In the future, the manufacturer could develop a new functionality proposing to do without the cable by connecting the hub Directera directly via the wireless connection.
Ikea’s new Dirigera connected gateway will retail for €59.99. Be careful, however, before rushing to the store, not all addresses seem to be stocked yet. Availability can be checked on the manufacturer’s website.