For a few years now, everyone’s favourite Swedish flat-pack furniture maker has been dabbling in smart home tech. And soon, I might actually be able to use one of Ikea’s smart home gadgets. That’s because after years of affordable yet frustratingly limited range of devices, Ikea is finally dipping a toe into Thread.
According to recent regulatory filings spotted by CybermodStudios, Ikea has registered its first-ever Thread device with the FCC. It’s a temperature and humidity sensor called the Timmerflotte.
The Timmerflotte looks to be a simple battery-powered sensor, running on two AAA batteries. But it comes with an 11-digit Matter setup code for easy integration. That’s a sure sign that the new sensor will be ready for easy integration with all smart home systems. However, it’s also a sign of much more to come.
Ikea’s current smart home hub, the Dirigera, lacks Thread Border Router capabilities and isn’t a full-fledged Matter controller. This means the company doesn’t actually have a way to integrate the Timmerflotte into its existing smart home platform. So, either Ikea is about to drop a new hub with proper Matter and Thread support, or it’s quietly shifting towards selling standalone Matter-compatible products without any of the usual ecosystem baggage.
I’ve built my entire smart home around Apple’s HomeKit. Since the Timmerflotte uses Thread, it should, in theory, slot seamlessly into my HomeKit setup without me needing to buy anything extra. That alone is a game-changer. But—and there’s always a but with Ikea—it’s unclear exactly how Ikea plans to support this device within its own ecosystem.
There’s no official release date just yet, but given the FCC filing, I’d wager we’ll see the Timmerflotte hit stores sometime in 2025. No word on pricing either, but if Ikea sticks to its usual strategy, it’ll likely be an absolute bargain compared to the competition.
