Swedish furniture brand IKEA has a whole new one iPhone app in the US that uses AI and AR so you can replace your current furniture with something new from its catalog.
Previewing furniture using augmented reality is nothing new for the brand, but instead of just adding new items to the space, IKEA Kreativ allows you to erase your old furniture from the picture. In addition, you can set up several elements at the same time, so you can see what your home would look like after a complete makeover.
The effect is reminiscent of the Google Pixel 6‘s magic eraser tool.
Use LiDAR scanner found at Apple iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 pro max, iPhone 13 pro, iPhone 13 Pro maxand iPad Pro 11 (2021), the IKEA app can scan your space to create an exact digital copy of it. IKEA Kreativ can also be used with non-LiDAR-enabled devices, but you’ll need to snap a few pictures of your room first (and it might not be quite as accurate).
Once your pictures are taken, the app processes them to create a wide-angle view where you can place and delete furniture as you please – a bit like gaming The Sims with your home.
If you have LiDAR, the app can give you a pretty good idea of whether the couch will fit in your space (less so if you’re using room photos). Still, it’s worth pulling out the old tape measure to double-check that everything fits.
Either way, the app is good at letting you know if items fit your current style. And even if you don’t buy the item from IKEA then you’ll know if a similar piece of furniture from a cheaper place would go well with your home.
IKEA Creative is currently exclusive to the US, but IKEA plans to roll it out to other regions in the future.
This app is just the latest from IKEA as it continues to expand its technology-based offering. There are his surprisingly good furniture/speaker hybrids – like his Picture Frame and lamp speaker – as well as his recently introduced smart home hub (this will be matter compatible).
Recently, IKEA even joined a new collective of companies, including Meta, who want to promote Metaverse standards. This should help the early developers work better together and could be a hint that IKEA wants its furniture to fill our virtual homes one day.
