Ikea smart blinds make unexpected and limited US debut

Note the "Not available online" button. You can, though, buy them in five of Ikea's 50 US stores

While furniture store Ikea recently revised its release date for the "Fyrtur" range of smart blinds to "later this year," a very few of its US stores have begun stocking them. Only five of Ikea's 50 US stores have them in stock, and while the company's website lists them, it's not currently possible to order them online.

Furthermore, according to HomeKitHero, the stores that are confirmed to have the blinds on display are selling them in sizes not listed on the Ikea website.

Ikea has repeatedly delayed the release of the smart blinds and but has been introducing more smart devices to its stores and online.

Significantly, Ikea's "Fyrtur" range of smart blinds is not HomeKit compatible, though the company claims that both Apple's system and Alexa will be supported later. The blinds work with Ikea's Tradfri smart devices, however, and that system does include HomeKit-compatible plugs and bulbs.

This is reason to believe that HomeKit will come to the smart blinds, but as other companies have shown, it's not a guarantee.

There's also no indication yet whether the confusingly different online and in-store sizes and availability just mean that the blinds are rolling out US-wide.

This rollout is similar to the initial deployment of Ikea HomeKit compatibility. The smart bulb line by the manufacturer arrived after several delays and false starts, and this most recent confusing availability of the smart blinds is only the latest chapter in the saga.