As every year, Aqara took advantage of the IFA in Berlin to unveil its new products, notably its new range of surveillance cameras, ready to transform home security into a true child’s play.
Right at the entrance, the Doorbell Camera G400 (wired) offers impeccable 2K surveillance, covering everything happening in front of the door from head to toe. And it’s not just a classic camera: it features artificial intelligence to detect faces, packages, vehicles, and even animals! The best part? It works continuously, is waterproof (IP65), and accepts multiple power modes, including PoE (a real plus for professionals and seasoned DIYers). Compatible with Apple HomeKit Secure Video, Alexa, Google Home, SmartThings, and even Home Assistant via RTSP, it integrates seamlessly into any ecosystem. Imagine coming home and receiving an instant notification as soon as a suspicious silhouette approaches, with additionally stored images both locally and in the cloud.
But that’s not all: Aqara also reveals the G510, its very first outdoor battery-powered camera, and not just any camera! Thanks to its integrated solar panel and a 10,400 mAh battery, it eliminates the worry of recharging. With a 2.5K resolution and color night vision, it keeps a vigilant eye, even when night falls, detecting people, vehicles, and packages as well. The Home Station M410, presented as a prototype, acts as a master hub. This little gem centralizes Aqara cameras to extend the range and battery life while offering high-capacity local storage, adaptable with HDD, SSD, or microSD. And for fans of the Matter standard, this hub also serves as a bridge, perfect for easily integrating third-party devices. In short, home security has never been so smooth, comprehensive, and reliable.
Presence Multi-Sensor FP300: a wireless detector that sees everything
Here’s a sensor we’ve been eagerly awaiting: the Presence Multi-Sensor FP300, a wireless motion detector that combines two cutting-edge technologies, the classic PIR sensor and a millimeter-wave (mmWave) sensor. This combination makes all the difference, offering ultra-precise and rapid presence detection, even in the face of subtle movements or stationary individuals. In short, no more unwanted alerts and missed detections! This little gem installs anywhere, wirelessly of course, powered by two CR2450 batteries that guarantee up to two years of autonomy. In other words, it leaves you hassle-free on the maintenance side.
This smart sensor doesn’t just indicate that there are people in the room: it also measures ambient light, temperature, and humidity. A true discreet little weather station! Thanks to support for Thread and Zigbee connectivity, and its compatibility with Matter, it works with all major smart home systems like Alexa, Google Home, Apple HomeKit, Home Assistant, SmartThings, and others. The result: perfect and flexible integration into the connected home of tomorrow.
Imagine this sensor placed in a bedroom or an office, capable of detecting human presence (even if stationary!) and automatically triggering your routines to conserve energy when the room is empty or create a personalized atmosphere when someone arrives. Or it can activate a security camera only when it detects a real presence, avoiding false alerts triggered by a simple draft or changing light.
The FP300 does even better thanks to its built-in artificial intelligence that learns to filter out false detections better, such as pets, robot vacuums, or environmental disturbances. With this sensor, home automation reaches a new level of reliability and efficiency. For those who love to tinker with settings, the Aqara Home app even allows for finely tuning the sensitivity or range, to adapt precisely to each use.
In short, this Presence Multi-Sensor FP300 from Aqara is a must-have for anyone wanting reliable, discreet, and complete detection, without installation constraints, and with the flexibility needed to accommodate all future developments of the smart home. I should soon be able to offer you a full test of it. I can’t wait!
Innovations for better energy efficiency and comfort
Who said that comfort and ecology couldn’t go hand in hand? With the Radiator W600 thermostat, the home becomes a space where every degree counts and is controlled intelligently. Compatible with Thread and Zigbee, this next-generation thermostat optimizes heating with smart programs, automation, or simple control from your smartphone, voice assistant, or even via the W100 climate sensor. Another feat: its battery boasts a 2-year lifespan, which avoids a lot of hassle. And the W600 is not picky: it adapts to several types of valves from the most common brands (RA, RAV, RAVL, Caleffi, Giacomini…), perfect for an installation that is as simple as it is durable. No need to sacrifice comfort to lower the energy bill!
Aqara also completes its H2 range with powerful plugs and power strips: integrated fast charging USB-C, dual Thread and Zigbee support, and above all, consumption tracking features. The result is that you can program smart home scenarios that react to electricity consumption, an excellent way to save money without lifting a finger. The H2 UK wall plug and its European outdoor sibling in IP44 version offer professional solutions for well-contained domestic uses. In other words, the smart home becomes sober, economical, and environmentally friendly. It must be said that controlling energy flows also means anticipating a bill that is always getting steeper. A progress not to be underestimated!
An even smarter and more open smart home platform and ecosystem
Aqara is not content with just releasing fabulous gadgets; they also take care of the platform that powers them. The new version of the Aqara Home app integrates a “Soft Sensor” feature that demonstrates great ingenuity. By grouping data from certain already present sensors (contact, motion, presence), it estimates much more accurately whether a room is occupied or not. You now have a clever virtual sensor, which helps avoid unnecessary triggers and fine-tune programming. Perfect for automatically turning off lights when the family is out or reducing heating in empty rooms. On the automation side, the “Automation 2.0” update finally introduces the WHEN-IF-THEN logic. Gone are the days of complicated scenarios to set up, it’s time for simplicity and power: multiple actions can be orchestrated at once, whether it’s turning on curtains, lights, and heaters with one click, without spending hours doing so!
In terms of reliability, local control via LAN promises to be a real relief for those who hate losing their automations when the internet connection falters. Imagine the kids coming in and triggering the lights and favorite music even if you have an internet box failure. Finally, the HomeGuardian cloud service further reinforces security through AI, multiplying analyses to recognize faces, packages, animals, and even flames (yes, house fires are no joke). Videos can be summarized automatically, making it easier to review, and enriched notifications allow for an instant overview of the issue without opening the app. In short, Aqara raises the bar very high with a powerful, fluid, and intelligent smart home system that adapts to all situations and evolves with needs.
Let’s not forget the dedicated solution for professionals, called Edge Hub 300 and powered by Aqara Studio Connect, allowing for coexistence of ZigBee, Matter, KNX, Modbus, and BacNet. I discuss it in more detail in a dedicated Aqara article for professionals.
Please remain courteous: a hello and a thank you cost nothing! We're here to exchange ideas in a constructive way. Trolls will be deleted.