IKEA Launches 25 Matter-over-Thread Devices with Samsung SmartThings Integration

Smart home progress often arrives in small, practical steps: fewer hubs, simpler setup, and more places to control the same devices. This week (April 19–26, 2026) delivered a clear snapshot of that trajectory—especially for mainstream buyers who want smart lighting, plugs, and sensors without turning their home into an IT project.

The headline is IKEA’s move to deepen interoperability by partnering with Samsung SmartThings. The result isn’t a flashy new gadget; it’s a structural upgrade: 25 IKEA devices that support Matter-over-Thread can now connect directly to a SmartThings hub, reducing the need for separate hubs and smoothing the on-ramp for first-time smart home users. Even more telling, Samsung TV owners can control IKEA smart devices from the TV screen via the SmartThings app—an example of smart home control migrating to the screens people already use daily. [1]

At the same time, the “control surface” conversation got a timely refresh. Tom’s Guide’s latest testing-based picks for smart displays highlight three ecosystem-aligned approaches: Amazon’s Echo Show 8 (4th Gen) as a balanced Alexa option, an entry-level 2025 iPad as a flexible HomeKit-centric display, and Google’s Nest Hub (2nd Gen) as an affordable Google choice with Gemini AI and Soli radar features. [3] Together, they underscore that the best smart display isn’t universal—it’s the one that matches your platform and privacy comfort.

Finally, the industry’s innovation cycle is on display: nominations opened for the Tom’s Guide Smart Home Awards 2026, spanning categories from Smart Home to Sleep and Home Appliances, with entries due May 22 and winners announced at the end of May. [2] In short: interoperability is becoming table stakes, and the market is rewarding products that make daily life easier—not just “smarter.”

IKEA + Samsung: A Practical Interoperability Upgrade, Not a Gimmick

IKEA’s smart home lineup has long been associated with affordability, but affordability alone doesn’t solve the biggest friction point: setup complexity. This week’s news is that IKEA partnered with Samsung to integrate more deeply with SmartThings, bringing 25 Matter-over-Thread devices—smart bulbs, plugs, remotes, and various sensors—into a more streamlined onboarding path. [1]

The key operational change is direct connectivity: users can connect these IKEA devices straight to a SmartThings hub, removing the need for separate hubs and reducing the “stacking” of bridges that can make a starter smart home feel fragile or confusing. [1] For consumers, this is the kind of improvement that doesn’t show up in a spec sheet but shows up immediately in fewer boxes, fewer apps, and fewer points of failure.

There’s also a subtle but important expansion of where control happens. Samsung TV owners can control IKEA smart devices directly from their TV screens using the SmartThings app. [1] That matters because it reframes the TV from “just another endpoint” into a household dashboard—especially in homes where the TV is the most shared screen.

What’s notable is the product mix: bulbs, plugs, remotes, and sensors are the foundational building blocks of automation. [1] When those basics become easier to deploy across ecosystems, the smart home stops being a hobby and starts being an appliance-like utility. IKEA and Samsung’s stated aim is to make smart home tech more accessible and affordable, particularly for first-time users. [1] This week’s move aligns with that: it’s less about adding features and more about removing friction.

Smart Displays in 2026: The “Best” One Depends on Your Ecosystem

If interoperability is the plumbing, smart displays are the light switches—where people actually experience the system. Tom’s Guide’s latest “best smart displays” testing list is a useful reality check: the top picks are less about novelty and more about ecosystem fit, usability, and privacy considerations. [3]

For Alexa households, the Amazon Echo Show 8 (4th Gen) is positioned as the best overall balance of performance and cost, with Alexa+ support and improved audio. [3] That combination matters because smart displays often live in kitchens and living rooms—spaces where audio quality and responsiveness are felt every day, not just during setup.

For Apple users, Tom’s Guide points to the 2025 entry-level iPad as an adaptable smart display option via HomeKit. [3] The implication is straightforward: sometimes the best “smart display” isn’t a dedicated device, but a general-purpose screen that can serve as a control panel when needed.

For Google users, the Nest Hub (2nd Gen) remains the affordable recommendation, now described as upgraded with Gemini AI and Soli radar for presence and sleep tracking. [3] That’s a reminder that smart displays are increasingly multi-role devices: control panel, information surface, and ambient sensor.

Across all three, the evaluation criteria—setup, speaker quality, display visibility, ease of use, and privacy features—reflect what the category has matured into. [3] The smart display is no longer a novelty tablet on a counter; it’s the human interface layer for the home. And as IKEA’s SmartThings integration expands device compatibility, the value of a good interface rises: the easier it is to add devices, the more you need a coherent place to manage them.

The Smart Home Awards 2026: A Snapshot of What the Market Wants Next

Awards aren’t product launches, but they are a signal of what the industry is optimizing for—and what reviewers think matters to real households. This week, Tom’s Guide opened nominations for the Smart Home Awards 2026, designed to recognize innovative products that enhance daily life. [2]

The structure of the awards is telling. Categories span Garden and Outdoor, Home Office, Sleep, Smart Home, and Home Appliances. [2] That breadth reflects how “smart home” has expanded beyond lights and speakers into lifestyle domains where outcomes are measurable: comfort, productivity, and routines.

The timeline also matters for readers tracking what’s about to get attention. Brands can submit products through the official awards website by May 22, 2026, and winners will be announced at the end of May. [2] That means the next few weeks will likely concentrate marketing and review energy around products that claim to improve everyday living—not just add connectivity.

In the context of this week’s other developments, the awards announcement pairs nicely with the IKEA-Samsung story. If the market is rewarding products that “enhance daily life,” then interoperability and simplified setup become competitive advantages, not background details. [1][2] Likewise, smart displays that score well on ease of use and privacy features are positioned as the control layer that makes those daily-life benefits accessible to everyone in the household—not just the person who set it up. [3]

In other words, the awards aren’t just a trophy chase; they’re a lens. They highlight that the next phase of smart home competition is about reducing friction, improving interfaces, and delivering benefits that feel obvious in day-to-day use.

Analysis & Implications: The Smart Home Is Converging Around Standards, Hubs, and Screens

This week’s stories connect into a single theme: the smart home is becoming less about individual gadgets and more about the system experience—how devices join, how they’re controlled, and how easily a household can live with them.

First, IKEA’s integration with Samsung SmartThings is a concrete example of standards-driven convergence. By adding 25 Matter-over-Thread devices that can connect directly to a SmartThings hub, IKEA is effectively shifting complexity away from the consumer. [1] The practical implication is fewer dedicated hubs and a clearer “center of gravity” for device management. When a mainstream retailer like IKEA emphasizes accessibility and affordability for first-time users, it suggests the industry is prioritizing adoption over experimentation. [1]

Second, control is spreading across familiar screens. The ability for Samsung TV owners to control IKEA devices from the TV via SmartThings is more than a convenience feature; it’s a clue about where smart home UX is headed. [1] Instead of forcing every interaction through a phone, the home’s shared screens—TVs and countertop displays—are becoming communal control points. That aligns with Tom’s Guide’s smart display recommendations, which frame the category around ecosystem integration and daily usability rather than novelty. [3]

Third, the awards cycle reinforces what “good” looks like in 2026: products that enhance daily life across domains like sleep, home office, and appliances. [2] That framing implicitly rewards interoperability and ease of use, because the more a product touches daily routines, the less tolerance consumers have for flaky setup or confusing controls.

Put together, the direction is clear within the boundaries of this week’s verified reporting: smart home value is increasingly delivered through (1) standardized connectivity paths (Matter-over-Thread devices joining established hubs), (2) consolidated ecosystems (SmartThings as a unifying layer for IKEA devices), and (3) better interfaces (smart displays and TVs as control surfaces evaluated on usability and privacy). [1][3] The winners in this phase won’t just ship more devices—they’ll make the home feel coherent.

Conclusion: Less “Smart Stuff,” More “Smart Home”

This week didn’t bring a single blockbuster gadget, and that’s the point. The most meaningful smart home progress often looks like simplification: devices that join the network more easily, ecosystems that cooperate, and interfaces that make control feel natural.

IKEA’s SmartThings partnership is a strong example of that shift. Adding 25 Matter-over-Thread devices that can connect directly to a SmartThings hub reduces friction and lowers the barrier for first-time users—exactly the audience that will determine whether smart homes remain niche or become normal. [1] Meanwhile, the renewed focus on smart displays—Echo Show 8 (4th Gen), an entry-level 2025 iPad for HomeKit, and the Nest Hub (2nd Gen) for Google—highlights that the “best” experience is still ecosystem-dependent, and that usability and privacy are now core buying criteria. [3]

Finally, the opening of nominations for the Smart Home Awards 2026 is a reminder that the market is actively sorting signal from noise, rewarding products that genuinely enhance daily life across categories. [2] If you’re building or buying this year, the takeaway is simple: prioritize the system. Choose devices that connect cleanly, pick a control surface your household will actually use, and watch for products that win on everyday outcomes—not just specs.

References

[1] IKEA's affordable smart home devices just got a clever upgrade (all thanks to Samsung) — Tom's Guide, April 24, 2026, https://www.tomsguide.com/home/a-familiar-and-easy-connectivity-experience-without-financial-burden-ikea-and-samsung-want-to-streamline-your-smart-home-heres-how?utm_source=openai
[2] Entries are now open for the Tom's Guide Smart Home Awards 2026 — Tom's Guide, April 25, 2026, https://www.tomsguide.com/home/entries-are-now-open-for-the-toms-guide-smart-home-awards-2026?utm_source=openai
[3] These are the 3 best smart displays we've tested to control your home and smart devices — Tom's Guide, April 23, 2026, https://www.tomsguide.com/best-picks/best-smart-displays?utm_source=openai