Ikea are expanding their line of smart home devices to include a cheap smart plug, reports CNET.
The plugs will be launched in October and will join a number of smart lighting devices that the Swedish company already sell in their Trådfi collection.
It’s believed that the new smart plugs will, like the other Ikea smart products, be compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple HomeKit.
There’s lots of confusion right now over the cost of the plug, with some claiming that the basic model will be sold for $18, while The Verge believes that they could be on the market for as low as $10. Regardless of which source is correct, it’s clear that they’ll be uber-affordable for most consumers.
Two models will be on offer: the plug itself — apparently named the ‘Wireless Control Outlet’– and a ‘Control Outlet Kit’, which will include the plug as well as an on/off magnetic remote that boasts a range of 10 meters.
Smart plugs are a cheap and easy way to start introducing smart technology into your home, thanks to their low price, easy to use controls and low maintenance. Most devices will connect to your home WiFi network and allow you to control other, compatible devices with it using just a smartphone app.
According to a leaked screenshot from the Ikea inventory list, their smart plug is specifically focusing on lights — no surprise when you consider that the rest of the Trådfi line is smart lighting devices — and will allow you to connect the plug to up to 10 different lighting sockets, letting you turn them on and off wirelessly.
Other small appliances can also be connected to the plug, like coffee makers and other such household goods.
Ikea have now confirmed that the Trådfi smart plugs will be released on their website in October, following days of speculation after an inventory page for the product was leaked to the press.
