Smart home device manufacturer Aqara is planning to release its Hub M3, a multi-protocol Matter controller with edge capabilities that features support for Thread, Zigbee, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and infrared.
According to the company, the M3 expands the Aqara ecosystem with its ability to connect and manage the growing number of Matter devices from Aqara and third-party brands.
The Chinese manufacturer, which offers a partner program for installers, integrators and resellers, says the M3 retains essential figures from the Aqara Hub M2 such as ZigBee hub functionality and an IR blaster, but improves upon it with Thread and Bluetooth protocols, making the device a versatile Matter controller and Thread Border Router.
The M3 also features 2.4GHz/5GHz dual-band Wi-Fi and Power over Ethernet (PoE) connection for extra flexibility and stability, the company says.
While marketed as the cornerstone of a Matter-enabled Aqara ecosystem, the company says the M3 allows users to integrate third-party Matter devices into the Aqara Home automation engine, enabling a unified and comprehensive smart home experience. The M3 will also expose the connected IR devices to Matter, allowing users to control and automate their infrared ACs and TVs via Aqara Home or any Matter ecosystems of their choice, the company says.
2024 Lighting Controls and Fixtures Report
Lightapalooza took place in late February, and the growth of the event has mirrored the rapid ascension lighting fixtures and controls.Download your copy now!
The M3 also offers edge capabilities for local control and automation, and its eMMC storage enables local, end-to-end encrypted data storage and locally processed automation to reduce system latency and reliance on cloud services. The M3 can also connect to the Aqara Home app via a local network, ensuring continuous control of the Aqara system during cloud service or internet outage, according to Aqara.
The M3 can also help back up a smart home system if an extra M3 hub is deployed to the network. Automations can be automatically mirrored, preparing the new hub to take over the network if the leading M3 fails, the company says.
The M3 hub will support binding between Aqara Thread devices, allowing some automations to remain functional even without a hub, the company says.
Additional features include a two-way, 360-deree IR blaster for better status detection, and the ability to function as an AC thermostat when connected to an Aqara temperature sensor.
The M3 can also serve as a Matter bridge for classic Aqara Zigbee devices, and gives additional functionalities to Aqara Thread devices, including adjustable sensitivity and tamper alarm for the Aqara Door and Window Sensor P2.
In addition, the M3 features a 95db speaker that can be used as a siren of the Aqara security system or for custom voice announcements.
The hub doesn’t come with a camera or microphone and supports local, end-to-end encrypted storage of device logs and user data for enhanced privacy and security.
Also new from Aqara are a new Border Router Plug, the Smart Lock U300 and a new chabot interface for the Aqara Home app.
The M3 and other smart home products is on display at the Aqara booth (Venetian Expo #53513) at CES 2024 in Las Vegas.
If you enjoyed this article and want to receive more valuable industry content like this, click here to sign up for our digital newsletters!
