IKEA acknowledges connectivity problems with budget Matter-over-Thread devices
IKEA has confirmed widespread pairing problems with its new low-cost Matter-over-Thread smart home devices after testers and customers struggled to connect them.
Following reports of devices failing to pair or dropping off networks, IKEA acknowledged the connectivity issues and said it is investigating with ecosystem partners.
The short version
- Affected products include the Kajplats smart lightbulb and Alpstuga IAQ monitor among others.
- One reviewer connected only 1 of 6 devices to Apple Home, and only after seven attempts.
- A frustrated buyer reported roughly 50% pairing failure rates, with some devices vanishing after initial setup.
- Problems spanned Apple Home, Amazon, Google Home and Home Assistant.
- IKEA smart home product manager David Granath confirmed awareness, citing connection issues in certain home environments.
- IKEA is working with a dedicated team and the Connectivity Standards Alliance, and notes devices stay in pairing mode for only 15 minutes.
Why it matters
IKEA’s cheap Matter-over-Thread range was meant to make standards-based smart home gear genuinely affordable, so its rocky launch is a high-profile test of whether Matter delivers on its promise of easy, reliable interoperability. The breadth of the pairing failures across every major ecosystem points to growing pains in the standard rather than a single vendor’s bug.
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