Aqara’s new hub is a multi-protocol Matter powerhouse

Smart home company Aqara is finally launching its long-promised Hub M3, and it looks like it will be worth the wait. First teased in 2022, the Hub M3 is a Zigbee 3.0 hub for Aqara’s wide range of Zibgee devices, but it will also act as a Thread border router and a Matter controller for Aqara’s ecosystem. This means you should be able to connect any Matter-compatible device to the M3, from Philips Hue lights and Eve smart shades to Google’s Nest Thermostat, and control and automate them all from Aqara’s powerful app.

This move turns Aqara’s app into a serious option for managing your entire smart home; previously, it was limited to just controlling Aqara’s device. Now, it’s poised to become a more complete smart home platform like Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, or Google Home, and the other features of the Hub M3 could put it significantly ahead of many of those ecosystems.

However, Aqara does note that support for third-party Matter devices will be rolled out in waves, so not all device types will be supported when the M3 launches globally in Q2 2024.

The M3 features a built-in IR blaster for controlling devices like your TV remote or AC unit, which can also be exposed to Matter. It has dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth connectivity for Matter onboarding, and two power options: USB-C or Power over Ethernet.

According to Aqara, the M3 will also move data storage from the cloud to the edge, secured by end-to-end encryption, along with the ability to process automations locally. It can also continue to run those automations over your network even if the internet or cloud connection is down.

Aqara is launching an automatic backup feature with the M3 where if you have two or more Hub M3, your automations can be automatically mirrored to the secondary hub, which can take over if the main hub fails.

Another neat feature Aqara will bring to the hub is support for binding between Aqara Thread devices. This lets two devices communicate directly without the need for the hub or an internet connection. A motion sensor could be bound to a smart switch or a temperature sensor to a thermostat, and if the hub were removed or fails, the device’s automation (i.e., turn on the light when motion is detected) would continue to work.

The company has not announced pricing for the M3. Aqara’s current Hub M2 costs $60, but with all of the extra functions, the new model is likely to be higher than that.

Aqara also unveiled two more products: a new smart lever lock and a smart plug that can act as a Thread border router, alongside a new feature in its app designed to make smart home automations easier to set up.

Aqara Border Router Smart Plug

This is the first smart plug to be announced that also works as a Thread border router, which you need if you add Thread devices to your smart home. The plug uses dual-band Wi-Fi to enable Thread devices to communicate with the internet. The plug can also monitor energy use and act as a Thread mesh extender, according to Aqara.

Aqara Smart Lock U300

The Smart Lock U300 is a fingerprint / keypad smart lock for doors with lever locks, such as garages, side entries, and home offices. The U300 works over Thread and is compatible with Matter. It can be used indoors or outdoors and has a battery life of up to eight months. It works with the Aqara app or any Matter app (Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa) and has a keypad, a fingerprint reader, and NFC tags as entry options.

Aqara Home Copilot

Aqara also announced a new generative AI assistant coming to its Aqara app. Home Copilot is a new chatbot interface for the Aqara Home app that can create automations for you via voice or text requests, which should make setting up automations a lot simpler. Aqara says Home Copilot can also analyze usage patterns and suggest custom automations, including tailored plans for setting up energy-saving automations.