Another month has gone by and we’ve been treated with plenty of smart home announcements. Following the short month of February, March has been packed full of device launches, app upgrades and a new version of Amazon’s voice assistant.
Aside from Alexa+ finally arriving in the UK – more on that below – there have been an abundance of smart light launches. As spring is finally here and warmer weather approaches, it seems outdoor lighting is a priority for many brands, and I hope to see that continue into April.
To make sure you’re as up-to-date with smart home news as I am, I’ve rounded up the best seven smart home launches from March 2026, featuring products from IKEA, Govee, Aqara, Philips Hue and more.
1. Alexa+ launches in the UK
After months of waiting, Alexa+ has finally launched in the UK. The more conversational and personalised version of Alexa was announced during Amazon’s Fall 2025 event and rolled out to users in the US, but it’s now available for people in the UK to try.
Available on compatible Echo devices, Alexa+ offers more natural conversations between you and the voice assistant. It also has deeper personalisation, the ability to turn requests into actions, and can help you with more things, like suggesting recipes and booking tables at restaurants. It can even understand British nuances and phrases.
2. IKEA SKAFTSÄRVLED
IKEA has had many launches in March but my favourite has been the SKAFTSÄRVLED, a decorative light that costs just £4 / $6.99. Compact and tall, the IKEA SKAFTSÄRVLED delivers colourful, dimmable ambient lighting, and has multiple lighting modes, including rainbow.
The IKEA SKAFTSÄRVLED looks similar to the Philips Hue Play Light Bar, but it’s a more affordable, and less smart version. It doesn’t sync to movies, music or games, but if you’re happy to manually do that yourself, then you’ll love it – and for under £5 / $10, you can’t really ask for more.
3. Aqara Camera Hub G350
I’m a sucker for cartoon-looking devices, and the Aqara Camera Hub G350 is no exception. Released alongside the Aqara G400 Wired Doorbell, the Camera Hub G350 is the brand’s first Matter-certified camera – and it looks like a robot rabbit!
The Aqara Camera Hub G350 has a dual lens system which combines a 4K wide-angle lens and a 2.5K telephoto lens. The lens and their 360° coverage and pan-tilt mechanism allows the camera to capture every detail around the room. It also has two-way audio, live view and can act as a Zigbee Hub or Matter Controller.
4. Philips Hue Turaco Outdoor Pedestal
Early in the month, Philips Hue announced three new outdoor smart lights in its Turaco collection. At the time, they were only available in select European countries, and more recently, the Philips Hue Turaco Outdoor Pedestal also landed in the UK.
The Philips Hue Turaco Outdoor Pedestal has a brighter lumen output than before, offering better brightness in the dark. It also comes with an E27 LED bulb and full white-and-colour lighting instead of white-only which was the only option previously. But if it's white light you want, it's warm at 2700K.
5. Reolink TrackFlex Floodlight WiFi Camera
Following a six month wait after the initial announcement, the Reolink TrackFlex Floodlight WiFi Camera is now available in the UK. The outdoor camera has a 2-in-1 dual lens design which automatically switches focal lengths to give you a view of things up close and at a distance.
The Reolink TrackFlex Floodlight WiFi Camera has 360° coverage that eliminates blur and captures every detail. The floodlights have dimmable LEDs up to 3000 lumens to illuminate footage and scare off trespassers – its built-in siren can do that too!
6. Govee Smart Edison Bulb
Aside from thinking it’s a genius idea to name a light bulb Edison, Govee’s new Smart Edison Bulb is on this list for many reasons. While it might look simple at a quick glance, the bulb has a vintage-inspired design that shows off all the filaments of the light.
The Govee Smart Edison Bulb offers both white and coloured lighting and effects. The colour temperature can be adjusted so you can choose from cool or warm lighting to set the mood in your home. The bulb can also connect to the Govee app where you can sync lights with music, set schedules and customise lighting scenes.
7. Nuki Keypad 2 NFC
To accompany its range of smart locks, Nuki has launched the Keypad 2 NFC, its ‘world first’ Aliro-certified keypad for electronic door locks. For quicker and easier unlocking, the Nuki Keypad 2 NFC has a Tap-to-Unlock feature where you simply tap your phone or smartwatch on the keypad to unlock the door.
Aside from Tap-to-Unlock, the Nuki Keypad 2 NFC can also be unlocked with fingerprints, codes and the Nuki app. It can store up to 20 prints, 200 codes and 35 Tap-to-Unlock keys, and is compatible with plenty of hubs and assistants to keep your smart home connected.
