Aqara, which has now carved out a niche for itself in the world of smart home, is expanding its product offering in Europe and internationally, integrating advanced solutions for security, smart lighting, water control and AI voice commands. With a strengthened commitment to Matter and new collaborations with Home Assistant and Tesla, Aqara continues to innovate to strengthen security, energy efficiency and global interoperability in the smart home.
New devices for home security
Aqara presented several new security-related products.
First up is the Hub G5 Pro camera: Aqara's first outdoor camera, available in PoE and Wi-Fi versions, the G5 Pro offers 4MP resolution with True Color night vision and AI detection of faces, vehicles, pets and parcels.
True Color night vision is a technology that allows you to obtain a color image, even in total darkness. Example with a storage room that had been reproduced, and which was in total darkness at the show. It's quite amazing!
The videos, encrypted from end to end, can be synchronized with local NAS and cloud servers. The G5 Pro is compatible with the main platforms (Apple Home, Alexa, Google Home, SmartThings) and supports RTSP for streaming to NVRs and video servers.
As its name suggests, this camera also acts as a home automation hub, so it acts as a ZigBee and Thread router.
The T2 garage door controller kit allows you to control up to two garage doors, offering monitoring and control via geolocation, voice assistants, mobile applications and automations. Compatible with Alexa, HomeKit, Google Home and Matter, it easily integrates with other Aqara and third-party devices.
The T1 valve controller was seen at CES. This controller connects to leak detectors to automatically cut off water or gas if a leak is detected. Compatible with various valves, it is designed for simple installation without pipe modifications or rewiring.
The new smoke detector is equipped with an 85 decibel siren and alerts as soon as smoke is detected and activates all connected Aqara hubs. Communicating via Zigbee, it offers a battery life of up to 10 years, reducing maintenance requirements.
New H2 EU switches and T2 LED bulb
The company is also launching new peripherals in Europe for the connected home, including a new series of wall switches: the H2 EU switch, the H2 EU dimmer, and the H2 EU shutter switch, available in white and anthracite.
Compatible with Thread and Zigbee, they offer the choice between opting for native integration with Matter using Thread or choosing the advanced features of Zigbee, such as monitoring energy consumption and decoupling lighting circuits. They will indeed be able to control the circuit to which they are connected (ceiling light for example) or control a connected lamp directly, without cutting the electrical circuit itself. This avoids losing control of the connected lamp when you press the switch. This is a very ingenious possibility, which should be very popular!
Suitable for homes with or without a neutral wire, these switches are easy to install, even for beginner DIYers.
It was also possible to discover on the stand superb switches with screens to control different equipment or displaying certain important information.
The Touchscreen Dial V1 EU allows you to control various devices by scrolling through them on its touch screen, then adjusting their intensity by physically turning it. Very pleasant to use! The Display Switch V1 EU has a more classic design, but has a screen with some essential information.
A little favorite for the Panel Hub S1 Plus EU: a large touch screen, roughly equivalent to two switches, allowing you to display a lot of information on the connected home, control devices, display cameras, etc.
Aqara presented the T2 LED bulb, available in RGB CCT version (2,000-9,000 K, 16 million colors) or in classic CCT version. In addition to its compatibility with Thread and Zigbee, the T2 LED allows you to create a perfect atmosphere at home, whether for a clear white light conducive to productivity or colored lighting for a more relaxed atmosphere. The available formats include E26, E27 and GU10, for universal installation.
Automation with Matter, Home Assistant and Tesla
Aqara is taking the smart home a step further, thanks to some exciting partnerships.
Advanced Matter Bridging: The M3 Hub introduces Advanced Matter Bridging, allowing users to sync Aqara Home app conditions (“IF”) and actions (“THEN”) with other Matter-enabled apps. Now, Aqara-exclusive features like gesture recognition or automatic camera activation can be integrated with third-party platforms, offering more sophisticated automation possibilities.
Home Assistant Partnership: Aqara Joins the Work with Home Assistant Program to optimize the user experience of this platform. The first certified devices include the Hub M3, Smart Lock U200, and P2 Motion and Light Sensor. More products coming soon.
Tesla Vehicle Integration: Tesla electric vehicles can now be integrated with Aqara Home automations, enabling smart routines like charging the vehicle during off-peak hours or turning on the air conditioning as soon as the coffee maker turns on in the morning.
Voice Mate H1: Convenient and secure voice control
The Voice Mate H1 makes it easy to voice control the Aqara smart home system without having to use a phone. An accessory to the Hub M3, this small, battery-powered device with a built-in microphone lets you control the Aqara Gen AI Copilot from anywhere in the home. Unlike other voice assistants, the Voice Mate H1 only activates on command, providing greater privacy protection.
It has 4 microphones around its perimeter, allowing voice commands to be picked up easily. However, it does not have a speaker, and will therefore be unable to broadcast information orally. It was designed solely to easily transmit voice commands to the home automation system.
Many other new features to come
Aqara is not resting on its laurels, and already displayed other potential new features, still under development:
There were various thermostats and sensors for optimized management of boilers, for example.
Another interesting device: the Current Sensor R100, in DIN rail format, to be placed in the electrical panel, to monitor the overall electricity consumption of the house.
And for the most curious, it was even possible to discover an Aqara integration with less conventional peripherals in the home, such as Bacnet, Modbus, or even KNX.
Proof that Aqara still has very big ambitions, by integrating with professional home automation systems in the home, but why not in the tertiary sector as well.
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