Ikea launches iPhone-connected smart home bulbs & sensors, but no Apple HomeKit support

After an international roll-out, flat-pack furniture company Ikea has brought its Tradfri smart home system to the U.S., with a starter gateway kit with two bulbs, a network gateway, and a dimmer for $80.

The new Tradfri system from Ikea spans nearly every kind of residential light bulb connector, with desk lamp compatible E12, Edison connector E27, and fixture-compatible GU10 bulbs available in the system. A network gateway plugs into an Ethernet connector on a router or hub, allowing for the iOS app to control connected bulbs.

By itself, a stand-alone bulb and a dimmer remote that can control up to 10 bulbs retails for $19.99. A motion sensor kit with a single bulb retails for $25.

To use the Tradfri iOS app to control the system in a fashion similar to HomeKit with functionality similar to "Scenes," a gateway is required, and sells for $30. Individual bulbs are available for as low as $11.99.

Light panels and doors promised for the system during launch in Sweden have not as of yet materialized at retail.

The Tradfri app requires iOS 8, and occupies 41.5 MB of device storage space.

The system is not HomeKit compatible. It appears that the system uses the Open Mobile Alliance Lightweight M2M system, utilizing the Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP) and SSL derivation DTLS.