By Emma Roth , a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO.
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Aqara is adding a bunch of new products to its smart home lineup today, one of which includes a Matter-enabled ceiling light with a pretty unique perk. With a diameter of 50cm (~19.7 inches), Aqara’s Ceiling Light T1M features a range of 16 million different colors, along with an independently addressable RGB ring on the outside.
While you can use the ring to create a gradient lighting effect, Aqara notes that it can also serve as a status indicator when linked to other smart home products. That means you can program the outer light to show a specific color when one of your other smart devices detects an issue, such as a leak or an open door.
Like some of the other Zigbee-supported products offered by Aqara, the company says the ceiling light features low power consumption when idle and Matter-over-bridge compatibility. Aqara hasn’t revealed pricing information or availability just yet, but its independently addressable ring makes it stand out from some of the other smart ceiling lights on the market, such as those offered in the Hue lineup.
In addition to the ceiling light, Aqara took the wraps off of the Camera E1 — a new 2K indoor security camera that supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. Although the device isn’t Matter-enabled, the pan and tilt cam is still compatible with a range of smart home platforms, including Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, and Google Home. It offers AI-powered person detection, person tracking, and the ability to store footage on a microSD card, in the cloud, or through network-attached storage (NAS). The Camera E1 will be available globally starting later this year.
Aqara also showed off a European-style wall socket that you can hardwire to your home. Similar to Aqara’s US-style smart plug, you can use the company’s app, along with other smart home platforms like Apple HomeKit, to control the devices that are plugged in. It will also support Matter as long as you have one of Aqara’s Matter-enabled Zigbee 3.0 hubs. Additionally, you can use the plug to track power consumption, as well as incorporate it into routines, such as having it trigger your lights to dim when your TV turns on.
There’s also the Matter-over-Thread smart lock that you don’t even have to replace your lock with. According to Aqara, the Smart Lock U200 “operates with existing cylinders and requires no drilling or door modifications” and uses a variety of unlocking methods. That includes Aqara’s NFC card (or an NFC-enabled device), fingerprint verification, and PIN codes. It’s not clear when this product will be available, however, as Aqara plans on launching it on Kickstarter later this year.
Lastly, Aqara announced a new Zigbee 3.0 dual-relay module that lets you control lights, motorized window coverings, garage doors, boilers, and more. The device features Matter-over-bridge support and comes with numerous safety features, such as overheat protection, overload protection, and configurable power limits. The Dual Relay Module T2 will be available later this year around the globe.
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