Ikea Launches More Connected Products
Ikea recently announced new smart home sensors which will join the company’s other product offerings. The new window, motion, and water sensors will launch in the first half of 2024 and connect to Ikea’s Dirigera hub for easy operation and customization.
The Circana Take:
- Ikea is continuing its strategy of launching affordable and easily integrated connected products. The new sensors join Ikea’s smart hub, air purifier, and wireless charging enabled furniture in a growing list of connected and tech forward products.
- Ikea’s product focus has centered on connected lifestyle and convenience over security and monitoring.
Amazon Redesigns the Alexa App
Amazon’s first redesign of the Alexa app in three years sees some significant changes to the Android and iOS apps. The new app is a more streamlined experience that adds Amazon’s new Map View feature and is more tailored to smart home control. For instance, a new shortcut button bar allows quick access to Amazon services like Music while the new devices screen shows the status of individual connected devices and device groups. Though still in closed preview, Map View shows the status of devices plotted on a map of the home.
The Circana Take:
- A revamp of the Alexa app will help keep users engaged with the platform and voice assistant. Amazon reports that ‘millions of households have more than 20 connected devices’.
- As consumers acquire more devices, platforms will need better features and capabilities to help them manage how they work and connect.