Note: I should state that I’m taking this information both from what can be gleaned from the claim in the Apple document (link below) and my communications with someone involved in making devices that work with Apple Home. That being the case, there could be possible misunderstandings as to what Apple intends, but with little to go on, the following is what has been understood.

In the release notes in Apple’s List of Home Enhancements in iOS18 PDF, it states the following;

The post Does iOS18 Offer a Hub-Free Option to Apple Home Users? appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

Aside from the on-device keypad, there’s also a blazing fast fingerprint reader. Both the keypad and sensor can store up to 100 passcodes/prints, all stored locally.

You can purchase the Thorbolt MK1 from Amazon.com using the (affiliate) link below, which cost you nothing extra but help us buy more products for review, to keep you informed on how products perform.

Amazon US

****GIVEAWAY**** For the giveaway, you have a chance to win one of the two locks shown in the video. All you need to do is give the video a ‘thumbs up’, post a comment saying where you’re likely to use the lock, and what country you live in. I will contact the randomly chosen winners directly after approximately 2 weeks from the posting of this video. Be aware that if you are a winner, even though I will ship the lock to you free of charge, you will be responsible for any import duties or taxes.

The post ThorBolt Smart Latch Lock w/ Thread (video) appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

The new Google TV Streamer, as it’s known, offers to tons of TV series, films etc just like all the other providers, and includes YouTube TV, Apple TV+, Disney and so on. It also claims that 800+ free channels will also be available, although that will almost certainly depend on your region, of course. Where this device initially differentiates itself is with the use of Google AI along with preferences you would initially set up, to provide content suggestions and upcoming shows/films that fit your tastes. All of these will be curated into a watchlist for you to easily access. In addition, Google’s Gemini technology can also provide additional info on what you are watching or about to watch, with summaries, season-by-season breakdowns, details on the actors involved in a particular program of film, and more.

The Google TV Streamer offers an improved processor, double the memory and 32GB of storage for faster app load times, and smoother navigation than previous generation Chromecast devices. With 4K HDR, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos, the image and sound quality are also taking a step up. You can connect your Google TV Streamer to a Wi-Fi network (2.4 or 5.0GHz), or use an ethernet port for faster streaming, with snappier navigation and app loading or switching. The Streamer is designed to sit in front of your TV, rather than tucked behind it, to improve connectivity across your smart home devices.

This is where Matter and Thread come into play along with your smart home. Much like Apple’s own Apple TV, the Google version is more involved with smart home devices, like cameras, locks, sensors, Thermostats, and lights, for example, which can all be accessed from your TV screen via the Google Home Panel, which is a big leap forward from the existing chrome cast offerings.

It takes on the role of a Matter controller, which is something already available with a few Google Nest devices, meaning your Matter enabled devices can be added to Google Home (maybe not so enticing perhaps…) even if they use Matter over Thread, as the Streamer also contains a fully-fledged Thread Border Router.

The included remote has also seen an upgrade in both size and functionality, with more buttons, improved voice remote, an even a programmable button, allowing you to trigger a specific scene, automation, or device. The remote also comes with a ‘lost mode’ option, that allows the remote to beep to aid in finding it, either via any device with Google voice assistant built-in, or via a button on the back of the streamer itself.

The Google TV Streamer will be offered in two different colours – Porcelain, and Hazel, and is  available for preorder now in the USA, with a launch date of September 24th via the Google Store, or third-party retailers.

The post Google Announce TV Streamer W/ Matter and Thread Support appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

The ThorBolt M1 is the basic model, that features a built-in keypad, whilst the MD1 has the same design, but integrates a fingerprint sensor on the top of the handle. The forthcoming MK1, has both the built-in keypad and fingerprint sensor, but also uses HomeKit over Thread, for compatibility with Apple Home. It does not use Matter over Thread, so this will only be of use to Apple Home users.

Visually, the only difference between the two models with the fingerprint sensor, is the rounded square design of the backplate for MK1, with the MD1 opting for a circular backplate.

The MK1 uses four AA batteries, stored within the inner handle, with the company claiming a battery life of up to 12 months, based on average usage. The body is made of a combination of aluminium and zinc alloys, with a rubber, backlit keypad. The outer portion of the lock is splash and water resistant.

Almost all options can be accessed via the keypad itself, including adding or removing users, changing passcodes, or setting up features like ‘Passage mode‘ that allows the lock to stay unlocked. Auto lock is set to on by default.

As the MK1 is Apple Home compatible, you can access the lock from your Apple Watch/iPhone, or remotely control it when you’re not at home (as long as you have a suitable Apple Home Hub), but it also offers the ‘Manage Access‘ feature in Apple Home, that allows you to create and manage passcodes and their users, directly within the Home app.

There’s no word on pricing yet, but considering the prices for the M1 and MD1 are pretty keenly set, we expect the MK1 to be the same, when it’s due to go on sale towards the end of August.

The post ThorBolt Announce Thread Latch Lock w/ Fingerprint Sensor appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

PACKAGING | CONTENTS

The front of the box features both the lock and keypad, and depending on the option you purchased, you’ll see either the silver or space grey model. I’m told there’s a white model, but have yet to see anyone with it. When it comes to the front, they really pushed the boat out when it comes to letting you know just how compatible this lock is;

• support for Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings, and Google Home
• Offers Matter and Thread support (Matter over Thread, essentially)
• It doesn’t mention Apple HomeKey on the front, but then only Apple Home users get to use this, so…

The back of the box has the standard blurb, but it also outlines the type of locks the U200 works with. Bear in mind this is a retrofit lock, so for both deadbolts and eurocylinder locks, you get to keep your original lock. If you have locks other than these two basic types, the U200 is not guaranteed to work with it, but to be sure you can visit the company’s website to do a compatibility check to be certain. I’ve fitted the U200 to a deadbolt lock on one of our internal locks, so I guess this is probably the easiest of all the installations (that makes a change…).

The box lists some of the features;

• Matter over Thread support, which will no doubt please the more keen early adopters
• NFC support by using either Aqara’s own NFC fobs, or certain types of NFC cards
• Apple HomeKey support
• Quiet unlock mode
• The option to power the keypad with batteries or ‘wire-powerd’ [sic]
• Other unlock methods, including your own key of course
• And the fact that it works with your existing lock

The other side features the specs, which I’ll also list;

• Model: EL-D02E
• Wireless Protocols: Thread, Bluetooth 5.1, NFC
• Door Lock Dimensions: 62.3 x 60.6 x 152.5 mm (2.4 x 2.4 x 6 in.)
• Keypad Dimensions: 42.7 x 33 x 146 mm (1.7 x 1.3 x 5.7 in.)
• Powering Modes:
  • Door Lock: Aqara Rechargeable Li-ion Battery 7.4V
  • Keypad: 4 x LR3 AAA 1.5V Batteries
  • 12V-24V AC 0.5A 50/60Hz or 12V-24V DC 0.5A wired input
• Operating Temperature: -15 °C ~ 66 °C (5 °F ~ 150.8 °F)
• Operating Humidity: 0 ~ 93% RH, no condensation
• IP Rating (Keypad): IPX5

As you can see, you still get Bluetooth as an option, which means you can create a direct connection between your phone and the lock (actually the keypad), which is still something we’re unable to do via Thread, even with Thread built into the later iPhones.

So, there’s a ton of contents in the U200 box, to say the least.

• Smart Lock U200 × 1 (incl. keypad)
• User Manual × 1
• Aqara Rechargeable Battery × 1
• Cylinder Adaptor Kit × 1
• Hexagon Screwdriver × 1
• USB-C Cable × 1
• AAA Battery × 4
• 3M Sticker × 1
• EVA Pad Kit × 1
• Screw Kit × 1
• Power Bank Pouch × 1

If like me you’re adding this to a US style deadbolt lock, you won’t be needing the 3M sticky pads.

THE LOCK | KEYPAD

Unlike many locks with keypads, the U200 comes with its own keypad as standard, and isn’t an optional extra. The two are pre-paired at the factory, so if for any reason one of the two parts gets damaged, you can’t just replace it, so the lock and keypad would have to be replaced in total. That would normally make you understandably think twice about the purchase, given that an optional keypad would be preferable, but as it stands, none of the keypads you can buy as an optional extra come with Apple HomeKey included. Some have a fingerprint reader, which is probably just as good in most cases, but once again Aqara tops most other options with an included NFC reader too. The SwitchBot Lock Pro also offers both a fingerprint reader and NFC, but no Apple HomeKey support, but it does require their own hub due to it using Bluetooth, whereas with the U200, it’ll connect to an existing Thread network via Matter, so no hub required unless you plan on using it in the Aqara ecosystem, in which case the Aqara Hub M3 will be the device to provide Matter and Thread support. You don’t actually need the Aqara M3 to use the U200, as it’ll connect to the Aqara app via you phone using Bluetooth. If you want to make use of automations within the Aqara app, you will need the M3.

I can only speak from the perspective of fitting it to a deadbolt door, but it was very easy to install. I have had experience in fitting other retrofit locks though – having installed the Nuki Lock 2.0, August Pro, and the previously mentioned SwitchBot Lock Pro, so maybe I’ve had a bit more practice, but it is actually pretty straightforward. Deciding where to place the keypad is probably more tricky, but only because you need to ensure that the location you place it is going to be easily accessible for NFC, hands (with the keypad), but especially iPhone and Apple Watch. Having it in a location that makes you contort your wrist to use HomeKey on your watch or your phone is not going to be much fun.

Focussing briefly on the lock portion, removing the cover plate reveals a few things; first of all this is home to a rechargeable battery, so you don’t have the option to use standard disposable or rechargeable batteries. That’s ok, as long as the cost of a replacement battery is reasonable, and possibly more importantly, is readily available. So far, I’ve not seen any mention of replacements, but I’m sure that’ll come in due course. The battery clicks into place quite easily, and comes with a little tab to pull it out, so no complaints there. As it’s rechargeable, there’s a USB-C port at the top (or bottom, depending on how you’ve installed it), so in essence, you don’t even need to remove the battery to recharge it, as long as you’re a bit creative. There’s also an LED indicator that briefly flashes when the lock is activated in any way.

As this is a full-on Matter device, you don’t get a QR code for HomeKit, only a Matter QR code. This is going to be something we’re already seeing more of, but to HomeKit users it generally makes little difference – you scan the Matter code to add the device to Apple Home in the same way you’ve always done. There’s also a QR code for the Aqara ecosystem, which you may or may not need to scan, as once powered up, the lock should be sending out a Bluetooth signal allowing it to be discovered. If not, you can use the QR code. Below (or above) these codes are two buttons – Reset and Set – both of which are pretty self explanatory, although maybe less so for the set button. With the lock set up, you tend to need the Set button to add it to other ecosystems.

IN AQARA HOME

The main screen isn’t dissimilar to the screens for Aqara’s other locks, with user management, passcode and log options. Even though the lock uses Thread, Bluetooth is still available, which – as I’ve previously stated – means you don’t actually need the M3, or any other Aqara hub, to use the U200. As you can see from the second screenshot, I’m not connected to the M3, and I’m still able to access functions and settings for the lock, as long as I’m within Bluetooth range. For some reason, however, even if you’re connected to the lock via the M3, accessing most functions for the lock does require you to activate the keypad first, which would be achieved by pressing any button on the keypad. This means accessing most features can’t be done remotely.

When it comes to users, just as with the other Aqara locks, it’s broken down into three basic categories (not including users of one-time passcodes);

• Admin – this gives the user access to all lock settings, as well as locking or unlocking using all the available methods
• General – much like the Admin option, this allows the user to use all the available lock/unlock methods.
• Temporary user – This allows the user to access the lock only using a passcode. Additionally, you can limit access between specific dates, or certain days of the week and between certain times.

The one-time passcode option can generate a one-off passcode that can only be used one, and will expire after a set date. This also doesn’t require you to activate the lock, unlike the other options.

Both Admin and general users can access the lock using a registered fingerprint, passcode, with an NFC card, or with Apple HomeKey (Via Apple Home), if they have a suitable iPhone. There are no restrictions to the user in terms of dates, days, or times. Periodic/temporary users can be restricted by date – so you can allow access between specific dates, but you can also customise this access to only work on specific days of the week, and even between certain times of the day. If you’re worried you’re going to come up with an easily guessed passcode, the Aqara app can generate one randomly for you.

As with all Aqara locks I’ve reviewed so far – A100 Zigbee, U100, U500, the U200 has so many options I’m just not going to go into detail on each one. A possibly useful one for people who rent out their properties on a regular basis, the Door Lock Log is quite useful for keeping track of all comings and goings, as well as alerting you to other issues.

As for the long list of features, there are options for controlling the audio that comes from the lock, there’s auto lock, although in my testing I couldn’t get it to work consistently. There’s an option to lock the keypad if repeated failed passcodes have been attempted to be used. Night latch mode allows you to only allow for certain types of access to be used between specified times, and Auto-Turn is a good option for people with potential disabilities or issues with the strength in their hands. This allows the thumb turn on the lock to be turned just a little way, with the U200 completing the rest of the locking/unlocking action for you. If you turn the lock a little way, slowly, the deadbolt will lock/unlock slowly in kind. Turn it a little way more briskly, and it’ll respond with a fast lock/unlock. It may seem a bit strange to offer this, but it does work. I just wonder if a small button might have been better though.

The lock also has Quiet mode, which allows the U200 to lock much quieter and slower. In fact there are three speeds available, quiet, normal, and fast, with the latter being the default. To achieve this mode, you simply need to press the Confirm button (the one with a ‘tick’ icon) followed by the lock or unlock method you choose, and it’ll duly open in the slowest mode. You can also set the lock to perform and any of the three speeds on a schedule, which is great if you have a family member that regularly arrives home late, which means they’re less likely to wake other members of the family.

The lock also offers the following modes – Do Not Disturb and Passage, with the latter ensuring that the U200 stays unlocked for those times when you need the lock to be accessible for when people are constantly going in or out of the house.

IN APPLE HOME

You’ll not be surprised to see the U200 offers much the same level of detail as most locks. You get the one tile, and a toggle control beyond that. For the settings panel, you get to see the battery levels, but only for the lock itself, not the keypad. This is because it’s the lock that connects to your Apple Home via Thread, with the keypad connecting to the lock using Bluetooth.

If you prefer not to use the Aqara app for user management, you can still use both Apple HomeKey and passcodes, with the latter option using the ‘Manage Access’ feature, which allows you to create or generate passcodes directly within Apple Home. Manage Access doesn’t give you the range of customisation options you find in the Aqara app, so you can’t restrict the user to a start and end date, certain days or times. You can only give them access, turn access off, or remove it totally. What you do get is the option to allow the same passcode to be used with other locks in Apple Home, as long as those locks also support the Manage Access feature. If you look in the second screenshot, you can see both the U200 and U50 are present as options, but my now ageing August Lock is not present, as is the case with Aqara A100 Zigbee, neither of which has this option. You can then share the passcode in a variety of ways – AirDrop, Email, Messages, Notes, and much more.

IN DAY-TO-DAY USE

This is a tricky one to conclusively talk about, as I only have one front door, which is already being taken care of by the Aqara A100 Zigbee (review HERE, video HERE), so I’ve had to confine my testing to a bedroom door – hey we live in an apartment! This also means I’ve been unable to test the keypad with the outdoor elements. That said, in all the testing, which so far covered maybe just a tad under two months, I’ve been impressed by a few things. First of all, the response time between a fingerprint being pressed onto the sensor and the lock opening, is exceptionally  fast. This had been my experience with the A100 and U100 locks, but the keypad is hardwired into these locks, so you should expect nothing less. With the keypad not physically connected to the lock, only utilising Bluetooth, you’d rightly expect there to be a delay, at least initially. This simply isn’t the case, with response times being astonishingly fast.

All of the lock options – fingerprint, NFC, and Apple HomeKey – are as fast to respond, with only the keypad being slower due to having to tap in a passcode. I think aside from being able to offer HomeKey via wireless keypad, which I honestly had my doubts would actually come to pass, the reaction times really do put many other locks to shame when you compare like with like.

One downside is the fact you currently need to be with the keypad and have it activated in order to access nearly all the settings. Hopefully Aqara can address this. The other more minor downside is regarding issues I had with connecting it to the M3. When I first set it up, everything worked well in both Aqara and Apple Home. As I’m meant to be actually testing the device, I did remove and reinstall the U200 a few times, and this is where I encountered issues. The second installation went through, but on this occasion Apple HomeKey was added, but wouldn’t actually work. A third installation fixed this, but then I couldn’t bind it to the M3, which is the state we’re at currently. I did have separate issues with the M3, which I detailed in my review, so as it stands, the U200 is mostly used in Apple Home, with Aqara Home only used to change settings.

Build quality is of the usual Aqara standard, which can vary depending on some devices. For example, the Aqara A100 I have here is built like a tank, due to the two parts being mostly made of heavy, durable metal and glass. The U200 isn’t as ‘tank-like’ as this due to the keypad and lock bodies being made of plastic. They still feel well made and put together though, and don’t creak at the seams, or offer gaps where there shouldn’t be any.

I think the one thing that makes this lock stand out from other retrofit locks is that it can work with both European and North American style locks. The SwitchBot Lock Pro can too, but you have to have a separate model for this, whereas the U200 does everything with the one model. The Nuki only works with European locks, and the likes of August, as one example, are only meant for deadbolts, so the U200 is truly on its own in this respect.

If I were to offer a suggestion, it would be that if you want to replace a dumb deadbolt lock, you may want to consider the U100 or U100, as they have it all in one package. If, on the other hand, you’re renting, and aren’t allowed to simply replace the whole lock, then the U200 is best for the least intrusive option of the two. It goes without saying that for European users, this is probably the best option right now, and I say that having used locks by Nuki and SwitchBot.

The post Aqara Smart Lock U200 (review) appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

Eve Weather, with its IPX4 water resistance and aluminium housing, can be used and displayed anywhere. Its sensors measure temperature, humidity, and air pressure (not exposed to Apple Home). The weather trend for the next twelve hours is displayed by analysing local changes in air pressure. The Eve app for iPhone and iPad records and visualises weather conditions over time.

As already mentioned, Matter technology allows connection to other platforms, enabling all family members to access Eve Weather’s sensors via iPhone, Android, Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant. Eve Weather also supports smart automations with other Matter-enabled devices.

Eve Weather costs US$79.95 in the US on Amazon, and is also available from Amazon stores in the UK, Germany, Spain, and Italy, amongst others. The HomeKit model remains available, with a free Matter firmware upgrade for those existing devices.

The post Eve Launches Matter over Thread Weather Sensor appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

The physical design is much the same, but utilises HomeKit over Thread, providing much better response times, and longer battery life the device running on two AA batteries.

The CS2 essentially acts as both a contact sensor and a system alarm, that exposes both to Apple Home. This means you not only get a fully functional contact sensor utilising Thread, but an alarm with all four modes exposed to HomeKit – Off, Home, Away, Sleep – much like you tend to see with other alarm systems from Aqara, for example, whilst also allowing it to be used for ‘Critical Alerts’. This is an Apple Home feature that lets alerts get through to you, regardless of whether your phone is in do-not-disturb mode, or any other mode that usually stops most types of notifications.

The alarm itself boasts an ear-splitting 120dB of noise – which can be adjusted to three different levels – that is also capable of an array of different tones. This allows you to assign a choice of fifteen different sounds to the different alarm modes, one of which could simply be for when someone opens the door in the normal course of the day. Better still, with the option to delay a sound when the door opens, you can use a specific sound to remind someone to close the door if they forget. This delay can also act in as a countdown for when you set the CS2 as an alarm, giving you time to get out of the house before the alarm is set. As if this wasn’t enough, you also get a temperature and humidity sensor, both of which are exposed to Apple Home as independent sensors.

Of course, for the best use of the CS2, you’re going to need a Thread Border Router, which you’ll find in the HomePod Mini, 2nd gen HomePod, and some models of the Apple TV4K.

You can buy the CS2 on Amazon.com now for US$34.99, but when applying a 15% discount coupon, that brings the price down to just US$29.74.

The post Onvis Release Updated Alarm System Sensor w/ Thread appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

PACKAGING

The packaging is the first thing to grab you, with badges for both Thread and Matter, which whilst not a ‘first’ for Aqara (their Contact Sensor P2 has that  honour), it’s certainly their first hub to boast such credentials. The back is all about the specs, which are admittedly pretty impressive;

• Wired or wireless connection
• 2.4 & 5.0GHz WiFi a/b/g/n/ac
• Zigbee 3.0
• Bluetooth 5.1
• built-in IR transceiver
• 95dB loudspeaker
• Power over Ethernet
• USB-C power port

As for the features, it’s a Matter controller for the Aqara ecosystem, which means their platform is moving towards being a viable competitor to others. It has a lot of catching up to do if we’re talking more than just with Matter accessories. By that, I mean third-party device is supported, but only for Matter devices.

It’s also a Thread Border Router, which means Matter over Thread devices can work natively in the Aqara app. Note that HomeKit over Thread devices are excluded, so they have to be Matter over Thread.

It also mentions something called ‘Edge’ computing, which offers local encrypted control, with no requirement for cloud connectivity, amongst other things. The M3 can also make automations that were cloud-based on other hubs in your Aqara setup, local.

So, this all sounds great, and it is for existing Aqara users at a minimum; You’re getting a Zigbee 3.0 hub, a Thread Border Router to finally use your Aqara Matter over Thread devices (all two of them…), and an IR blaster that can control your AC, as well as expose it to Apple Home, and a much louder speaker than you get on either the M2 or the M1/M1S.

Even though it’s Matter compatible as a Matter bridge for their Zigbee devices, it can also work with Apple Home, Google Home, and Amazon Alexa using what I describe as the legacy methods. For Apple Home there’s not much difference between adding the M3 using Matter or HomeKit, but for Google and Alexa users, local control instead of a cloud-based approach is the enticement here.

CONTENTS

The contents are minimal, but not unexpected. Aside from the M3, there’s a manual that comes with QR codes for Matter, Apple Home, and Aqara. You’ll initially need the Aqara QR code, but assuming you add it to HomeKit via Matter afterwards via the Aqara app, you won’t need the Matter code. You’ll still need the HomeKit QR code if you go down the HomeKit route, which may be for good reason, for which I’ll go into later.

You get a USB-C to USB-A power cable, but no power brick, which is the standard these days. There’s also no ethernet cable. You do get a mounting bracket, with included screws and rawl plugs though. This allows the M3 to be ceiling or wall mounted if required.

THE HUB M3

Like the M2 before it, the M3 uses the same textured plastic on top that isn’t entirely resistant to fingerprints, but it’s not something you’ll really need to handle often I guess. the edge of the M3 has translucent plastic for the ‘360º’ IR blaster to do its thing. The back of the M3 has a pairing/reset button flanked by Aqara and HomeKit QR codes. There’s no Matter code on the box, but in addition to finding it on the manual, it’s stored in the Aqara app. The underside of the M3 has a rubber base to stop it from sliding around, as well as holes for the aforementioned mounting bracket to click into place.

The underside also features a large cut-out ‘trench’ for allowing the ethernet and USB-C cables to connect. If you have a router or network switch capable of offering Power over Ethernet (PoE), you can dispense with the USB-C cable and simply power the M3 and connect it to your router with the one ethernet cable.

THE M3 IN AQARA HOME

The process of adding the M3 to Aqara Home – which I’d recommend doing first – is pretty straightforward; once it’s powered up, you go into the Aqara app and select ‘Add Accessory’ although it may also pop up on the screen before you even get there. This is in part due to Aqara’s own ‘EasyPair’ setup feature first seen in the Aqara Camera E1. Bluetooth in the hub transmits a signal that the Aqara ecosystem picks up via your phone, allowing you to begin pairing it. Even though it comes with a Matter QR code, you don’t need it, but instead you use the Aqara QR code. The former is used for adding it to other ecosystems, although when adding it to Apple Home (via the Aqara app), for example, you still won’t need to scan that code.

Once added, you can begin the process of adding it to other ecosystems. For Apple Home users, you get two options – add using Apple HomeKit, or add using Matter. Making this choice depends on what you want from the M3, as each option gives something but takes another thing away.

• MatterAdd using Matter allows you to expose the AC control option to Apple Home as a fully fledged AC controller.
  • If you have any Aqara lighting products that use Apple’s Adaptive Lighting, you’ll lose this functionality if the lighting is connected to the M3.
  • You lose the option to have the M3 act as a security system in Apple Home.
• Apple HomeAdd using HomeKit allows you to expose the security system to Apple Home.
  • Lighting products capable of using Adaptive lighting, retain this feature when connected to Apple Home.
  • You lose the option to have the M3 act as an AC controller in Apple Home.

So the choice is yours. You could actually add the M3 using both Matter and HomeKit, giving you AC control, the security system, and Adaptive Lighting, but you’ll have two instances of each Zigbee device connected to the M3, which could cause problems, or confusion at the very least.

The M3 offers a lot of features and options you would previously have not seen with their other hubs. For example, there’s a section to describe the function of the M3 as the lead hub in a ‘cluster’. This is in part the way that the M3, which has more onboard memory, can make scenes and automations local, even if they originate on another hub. This also includes devices that are not technically hubs themselves, like the Camera E1, the Presence Sensor FP2, and the Video Doorbell G4.

One thing to note is that whilst the integrated speaker is a lot louder than that of the M2, it still won’t replace a professional alarm siren, but at least for notifications etc, you can actually hear without straining now.

There’s a separate section that allows you to add the M3 to other platforms, check what platforms its connected to, and manage those connections. It lists Apple Home, as I added the M3 to HomeKit using Matter. Apple Keychain stores the basic data for that hub in relation to its Matter connection.

AC control in the Aqara app offers pretty much all the control you need, although it could depend on the capabilities of your AC too as to what options you get. Via Matter the AC control is exposed to HomeKit, although you only get the basic controls – off/heat/cool, and temperature control. In order for you to get more fuller features over the AC, you do need to add an Aqara temperature sensor to the M3, which in turn can be linked to as a climate sensor for the AC control. This then shows you the temperature as part of the AC control in both Apple and Aqara Home. Without it, the temperature will show the default zero degrees. You can’t use a temperature sensor connected to another Aqara hub, even if on the same account and WiFi network.

As the M3 has an IR blaster, it can control other devices besides the AC, although unlike products like the Switchbot Hub 2 (review, video), or the Nature Remo Nano (review, video), which can expose other IR controlled devices to HomeKit, the M3 cannot. This may not be such a big deal for a couple of reasons; The first is that although the two aforementioned products can expose more IR devices, they only appear in HomeKit with basic on/off functionality, much like a smart plug, so for a TV remote, you can only turn it on or off. The other thing is that with Aqara having all the controls for other IR devices in its ecosystem, you can still create scenes to trigger certain aspects of that device, and export those scenes to HomeKit, which may actually be better in a round about way.

The M3 has a plethora of other settings, like custom ringtones, so you can upload your own sounds to the M3, for use in automations, as well as the hub offering four different language options (Chinese, French, Spanish, English).

Possibly the biggest change is that you can now migrate devices and automations on one hub, to an M3. This feature effectively factory resets the M3, moves the data from the old hub to the M3, then factory resets the original hub. This migration assistant only works in the Aqara app, so when it comes to the old hub in Apple home, it’ll still be listed, along with any child devices, it’ll show as offline, so you’ll have to remove this instance of the old hub from HomeKit. This option also means that you’re better off doing the migration from one hub to the M3 before you add any child devices to the M3, or for that matter (no pun intended) add the M3 to Apple Home.

THREAD, MATTER, ZIGBEE, BLUETOOTH – CONFUSED?

It’s already a thing that many are confused about the hub’s capabilities, what the different protocols are for, and what can be added. This wasn’t helped by the fact that Aqara released the M3 with very limited Matter support, which added up to just a handful of brands and devices being compatible at launch. This is not how Matter is supposed to be of course, and to their credit, they did fully unlock this feature, allowing all supported Matter device categories to be used with the M3. They still should have done this before releasing the M3 instead of retroactively responding to customer complaints, but it’s done now.

However, initially, this issue was further impacted by the fact that neither of the company’s own Matter over Thread devices could be added to the M3, which is a pretty bad self-own. Again, this was quickly rectified – partially – but still didn’t allow these devices (contact, and motion sensors) to be used as part of Aqara’s own security system, need I say how bad this looked? So for the third time, there was an update that remedied this final issue. It really shouldn’t have been this way, and somewhat tainted the launch in many peoples’ eyes.

So, aside from the missteps mentioned, what are all these protocols supposed to be for? Well, The M3 is many things, and in some way’s these roles are equals. First off, this is a Zigbee hub, just like the M2, so you can add Aqara Zigbee devices to it. It can then be exposed as a standard Zigbee hub to Apple Home using either the Matter or HomeKit QR codes. However, it’s also a Matter bridge, which is much the same thing; the difference is that it exposes those child devices to the four main platforms using Matter. This is different to HomeKit for the previously mentioned reasons, and when it comes to the other platforms, adding the hub via Matter circumvents the need for a cloud connection, which Google and Amazon have relied on – they basically connect to your account on the Aqara server, allowing that server to communicate your instructions to Amazon or Google’s own servers. Matter does away with this, and allows communication between the Aqara M3 (or other Matter enabled Aqara bridges) and your smart home platform, without the need to connect to your account in the cloud.

So, it’s a Zigbee hub/bridge/gateway, and it’s a Matter hub/bridge/gateway for Zigbee devices…

It’s also a Matter Controller. This means it acts as a central organising piece of kit that allows your Aqara smart home devices to run locally and effectively within the Aqara ecosystem. For example, the Apple TV, HomePod, and HomePod Mini are all Matter Controllers too, doing the same thing in Apple Home. Basically speaking, each platform requires its own Matter Controller, and the M3 is such a device for Aqara’s smart platform. Google’s Nest hubs, and Amazon’s own range of displays and speakers are all Matter Controllers for their respective ecosystems too.

Thread – yes, it’s a Thread device, but not like a Thread motion sensor, no. This is a Thread Border Router (TBR). This allows Aqara and third-party Matter over Thread devices to connect to the Aqara ecosystem. If it didn’t have the TBR inside, it could still act as a Matter Controller, but only for devices that connect through a Matter Bridge (like the Philips Hue Bridge, for example) or with Matter over WiFi devices. The older Apple TVs, and the original HomePod are such devices – Matter Controllers but without a TBR inside.

Bluetooth – This is included in part due to the way Matter works when a device is ready for adding to a Matter ecosystem. Bluetooth is the initial connection between the device, your phone, and the Matter ecosystem in question. Although it’s unlikely it’s used for much else, it could be used for some Aqara locks that use Bluetooth, but it’s not clear if that’s an option.

THIRD PARTY DEVICES

I already had an M3 from China back in January, and once the international version of the M3 arrived from Aqara for review, things had moved on. By that, I mean that I was now able to add the Hue Bridge to the Aqara ecosystem. How, you might ask. The Hue Bridge can now be added to Matter ecosystems by simply going into the Hue app, and generating a Matter code. You then add the bridge to Aqara’s own newly Matter-enabled ecosystem using that code and the Bridge and all its child devices are exposed to the Aqara ecosystem.

As you can see from the screenshots above, I’ve added a Hue Bridge to Aqara Home using this method. the Matter icon appears in the corner of the icon to show that it’s added using Matter. Due to the Hue Matter update, some other third-party Zigbee devices that could be added to the Hue Bridge, but not show up in Apple Home, can now be exposed to Apple Home because of this. The same is true for the Aqara ecosystem, which in my case shows a standard colour Hue bulb (LCT016) alongside a Tradfri bulb added to the Hue Bridge. This is an instance of Matter over Bridge, which is less talked about than Matter over WiFi or Matter over Thread, but is equally useful.

As it stands now, pretty much all Matter devices should be able to be added to the Aqara app if you have the M3. There’s a caveat here in that Aqara themselves have said many devices from third parties haven’t been tested, so there’s the possibility some won’t work as intended or even fail to add, so you’ll just have to try and see what happens.

The one question some people might ask is why would one want to expose devices to Aqara via Matter, if they already work with HomeKit. For me, the simple answer lies in Aqara’s automation options. In many ways, they’re so much better than what other platforms offer, but if you want specifics, it’s the way in which Aqara allows a lights to be turned on or off, with one automation. If that doesn’t make sense, in Apple Home for example, if you have a smart button controlling a smart bulb, you can set the button to turn the light on with a single press, but you don’t have an option for the bulb to be set at the opposite state to its present one. In essence, I want to be able to single press a button, and turn the bulb on or off with that single press, depending on the on/off state of the bulb. Yes, it’s possible by converting an automation to a Shortcut in the Apple Home app, but you shouldn’t have to make a convoluted IF/THEN automation when Aqara do it quite easily. Their app has an option that allows you to set a light to “on/off”, so you can rely on a single press on a smart button to to act just like a normal switch. This something I’ve longed for in Apple Home, but I just can see it ever happening. Now, as I have a collection of Hue bulbs and wireless buttons from Aqara, with the Hue Bridge in Aqara Home, I can achieve this. But I can also have those bulbs remain in Apple Home for other purposes, so it’s a win-win.

WHAT’S WRONG WITH IT?

When I originally set up my Chinese M3 back in late January, soon after, I noticed that some of my Thread devices became very sluggish to respond, and at different times went offline for a while, before coming back. This at first seemed to be limited to HomeKit over Thread devices, but then it started to manifest itself with Matter over Thread devices  too. The products that showed these kinds of odd behaviour were some of my Nanoleaf bulbs, Eve Energy smart plug, Wemo smart plug, and Wemo Stage Scene Controller. These are all HomeKit over Thread. Additionally, the Matter over Thread devices that acted up, were the Tuo Smart Button, and SmartWings Roller Blinds. After this began to get tedious, I assumed there was an issue with the Chinese model I had, and removed it, boxing it up for another day. Soon after I did so, everything behaved like it had before, with snappy response times, and no offline devices.

When the international model arrived, I set it up, and yet again the same issues came to the fore, with the same set of devices, so I now could see this wasn’t a fluke. I once again removed the newer M3, and as before, things became stable again. I have spoken to Aqara about this, and the majority of their beta testers hadn’t experienced any of these problems. That said, I’ve been contacted by maybe 5 or 6 people that have had the same issues, so it’s clearly not totally isolated.

just until a day ago, I was considering removing the M3 again and just making do with what I have for the sake of my sanity, however I seemed to have stumbled upon a fix of sorts. at first, my M3 was wired to an network switch that was connected to the router, which is when all the issues surfaced. I didn’t have any free ports on the router itself, but I did have an ethernet access point in another room, so connecting the M3 to this AP was essentially the same as connecting it directly to the router (as far as I can see). After testing this method out for a day, none of the sluggish response times and offline issues plaguing my Thread devices have returned, so I believe the M3 being connected to a network switch was the problem here, even if that shouldn’t be the case. Either way, I’m sticking with the M3 set up this way now, and will monitor the situation further.  With this frustration seemingly solved now, I can say the M3 is actually a very good product in many ways, and possibly their most forward thinking product to date. I hope at some point they find a solution so I can connect the M3 in a manner of my choosing, but for now I’ll just make do with what I have.

Wrapping things up, there’s a lot to like, and considering the issues I mention with the lack of Matter support are largely taken care of, and assuming most people won’t be experiencing the issues I had with a problematic Thread network, then I do think this is a worthy purchase. At the very least, you’re buying into a device that expands the Aqara app to include more third-party devices, adds AC control, has a louder speaker, and unlike the M2, offers 5.0GHz WiFi and PoE. If that’s enough to sway you, then go for it.

The post Aqara Hub M3 (review) appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

The Smart Lock Matter Tilt/Turn by Danish manufacturer SecuYou aims to provide not only a smart lock for patio doors and windows, but offer the latest in smart home innovation too, with typical Scandinavian design thrown in for good measure.

From a quick look at the company’s website there isn’t a large amount of information regarding these locks, other than it’s designed for doors that open inward or outward, with the lock itself situated on the inside, running on two AAA batteries. The bulk of the lock is made from a metal alloy, which contains the inner mechanics for the lock, as well as adaptor pins. there is no keypad on the device as such with the black portion of the body home to the battery compartment, so control is achieved via your phone (using Bluetooth). The company has stated they plan to introduce a separate keypad in Q4 of 2024.

The lock can be purchased with both the inner and outer halves of the lock, but if customers prefer to keep their existing outer handle mechanism, they can just purchase the inner portion.

Due this being a Matter over Thread device, it’ll connect to a Thread Border Router as well, which in turn allows the lock to be controlled directly within the Apple Home app, for example. This model doesn’t work with the company’s own app.

Despite the product being in a category of its own, the price is still relatively reasonable, at just under 1700,00 Dkr / €231,00 / UK£197.00. You can find more information on this and other products in the company’s range via their website.

The post First Matter over Thread Smart Lock For Patio Doors Announced appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.

Currently some of Tado’s products use a specific radio frequency for communication (868 MHz 6LoWPAN), which requires one of their bridges to allow connection to your smart home and between devices. A new version of the bridge will be sold, but won’t be necessary with the use of Thread, which according to the aforementioned report states will initially be limited to Apple home users.

The five products to be launched will be the Smart Thermostat X designed to replace a wired controller, offering support for two heating interface options: on/off (mechanical) and OpenTherm (digital). Besides regulating a boiler or zone valve, it can serve as a thermostat for rooms with water-based floor heating control.

The wireless temperature sensor X bears resemblance to the wall thermostat and can be placed anywhere within a room. It is suitable for centrally controlling multiple radiator thermostats or as a supplementary device to the wired room controller, particularly if the latter is situated in an unfavourable position for accurate temperature readings.

The Smart Radiator Thermostat X features a T-shaped design, a departure from previous Tado models, aimed at conserving space in narrow radiator niches. Instead of traditional rotary elements for temperature adjustment, it boasts a touch display, powered by a lithium-ion battery that can be conveniently recharged using a standard USB-C cable. A single charge is expected to last approximately one year.

The aforementioned Bridge X, when necessary, establishes a Thread network for communication among the heating controllers. Its requirement arises only if no other device fulfils this function.

The last of the five products is the Heat Pump Optimiser X, designed to be wired to your existing heat pump, for hot water. It can also work in tandem with the company’s smart thermostats.

These products are now available to purchase directly from Tado’s own online shop, or from Amazon.de with the following prices;

• Smart Radiator Thermostat X – €77,82 (Amazon)
• Wireless Temperature Sensor X – €99,99 (Tado)
• Smart Thermostat X (Wired) – €102,67 (Amazon)
• Heat Pump Optimiser X – €249,99 (Tado)

The starter kit, with bridge and radiator thermostat is now also available from Amazon.de for €188,99, whilst the Thermostat starter kit with wired thermostat and bridge is available for €151,62.

All in all, it’s good to see Tado finally getting on board with both the new standard and wireless protocol.

The post Tado Steers Towards Matter With Forthcoming Lineup appeared first on Homekit News and Reviews.