What you need to know
- Aqara has announced plans to support the upcoming Matter smart home connectivity standard.
- Matter is slated to launch in 2022 and is backed by Apple, Google, and Amazon.
- Free updates to Aqara's latest smart hubs will bring Matter to a suite of connected accessories.
Aqara has announced plans to bring the upcoming smart home connectivity standard — Matter, to the company's range of smart home accessories in 2022.
Matter, previously known as Project CHIP (Connected Home over IP), is a new, open-source, and secure connectivity standard for IoT devices. Aqara shares Matter's vision of having a unifying language for the IoT industry to improve consumers' smart home experiences. The Company is part of the Matter community of more than 200 global companies with a common goal of increasing interoperability across IoT devices, brands and systems, and boosting adoption of the smart home worldwide.
Formerly known as Project CHIP (Connected Home over IP), Matter aims to unify the smart home market by offering a universal language that allows interoperability between devices and smart home platforms. In addition to Apple, Matter is currently backed by over 200 companies, including Amazon, Google, Signify, and IKEA.
Aqara's Matter support will be enabled through free OTA updates to the company's M1S and M2 Smart Hubs shortly after the standard launches next year. Once updated, Aqara's accessories — including our picks for best HomeKit temperature sensors and motion sensors will work with Matter. However, Aqara notes that not all device types will work "due to the lack of Matter support for specific device type(s)".
The Aqara M1S Smart Hub and the Aqara Smart Hub M2 are available now through online retailers such as Amazon and in Apple stores in specific markets globally. Pricing for the M1S and M2 hubs starts at $49.99 and $59.99, respectively, and both are also available in bundles that offer additional accessories at a discounted price.
Wireless command center
The Aqara M1S Smart Hub opens the door to a suite of affordable, smart home accessories with a wire-free design that connects to your home's Wi-Fi.
Slimmer and smarter
Aqara's sleek Smart Hub M2 goes above and beyond the M1S by adding an Ethernet port and IR accessory support.
Christopher spends most of his time writing and dreaming about all things HomeKit. If you wish to join him on his quest to automate everything, you can follow him on Twitter at @itschrisclose.
