It took a while, but IKEA is now selling its Fyrtur smart blind online.
After missing a couple of promised launch dates in 2019, IKEA’s blackout shade finally landed in (some) of its U.S. stores in mid-October, but even then you could only find it in select locations.
It seems the Swedish furniture giant may have placed the remotely operated blind in its online store after announcing the temporary closure of all 50 of its U.S. brick-and-mortar outlets in mid-March due to the coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19. In that case, we can’t say for sure whether the Fyrtur smart blind will remain in plentiful supply online once IKEA reopens its physical outlets.
The blind’s appearance in IKEA’s online store was first noticed on Reddit and reported by 9to5Mac.
Orders will be delivered straight to your door, though shipping costs vary, apparently dependent upon how close you are to your nearest IKEA store or distribution center.
According to IKEA’s online listing for the Fyrtur, the smart roller blind costs between $129 and $179, depending on the size you choose.
It’s compatible with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and Google Home, though you’ll need IKEA’s Tradfri gateway for this feature. The company’s line of Tradfri smart home products also includes lights, motion sensors, and plugs.
The Fyrtur blind is powered by an integrated lithium-ion battery pack and controlled using the supplied remote control device or the Tradfri smartphone app. Of course, you can set it up to open and close at particular times, enabling you to use it as a kind of silent alarm, with natural light flooding your bedroom each morning to ease you into the day. The timer function also offers home security benefits as you can use it to present the illusion of an occupied home for when you’re out. IKEA also notes on its product page that the blind is cordless for increased child safety.
If you’re shopping for a smart blind but want to see what else is available, be sure to check out Digital Trends’ recently updated selection of some of the best offerings on the market, ranging in price from $119 all the way up to $448.
