Aqara, a leading provider for smart home products, released its Hub M1S Gen 2, which is an enhanced version of the brand’s iconic smart home control center Hub M1S. Enabled with new hardware and software updates, the Hub M1S Gen 2 inherits most features from its predecessor, and improves the network security by adopting the WPA3 standard. It also adds configurable ringtones, allowing users to create more customized home automations. The new hub is now available on the Aqara Amazon stores in the EU (France, Germany, Italy and Spain) and via authorized Aqara retailers worldwide*, and the availability will expand to North America (the US and Canada) in the following months.
Similar to other Aqara hubs, the Hub M1S Gen 2 is a control center within the Aqara ecosystem, and connects other Aqara Zigbee devices to the Wi-Fi network. It manages and controls smart scenes as well as smart devices, such as switches, plugs, curtains, roller shades, and so on. The M1S Gen 2 adopts the Zigbee 3.0 protocol, supporting up to 128 Aqara devices**. Moreover, it allows the connected child devices to be compatible with major third-party ecosystems including HomeKit, Alexa, Google and IFTTT. The M1S Gen 2 is expected to receive the Matter OTA update after the Matter rollout, allowing the connected Aqara accessories to work with other Matter-compatible devices.
Key features of the Hub M1S Gen 2 include:
A powerful built-in 2-watt speaker allowing the hub to be used for sirens, doorbells, and custom ringtones;
A built-in RGB light ring with configurable brightness and color, allowing the hub to serve as a night light or an accent light;
A fully functional illumination sensor that can be used for automations on the Aqara Home app;
Enhanced Wi-Fi connectivity with the powerful 2×2 MIMO Wi-Fi antenna and the WPA3 standard support, enabling the faster, secure and reliable connection;
The new hub supports all 4 modes of the HomeKit Security System, which automatically sync with the Alert System on the AqaraHome app.