EU Aqara Hubs Available For Preorder in Sweden [update]
After what seems like a lifetime of rumour and speculation, it seems that the EU version of the HomeKit compatible Aqara Hub is now available for pre-order online in Sweden. Webhallen, one of the largest online tech stores in Sweden, has the Aqara hub available to pre-order, along with most of the other Aqara branded sensors and switches – the door/window sensor, temperature and humidity sensor, vibration sensor, water leak sensor and motion sensor, along with the single and double rocker switches and the mini switch. The Aqara Cube is also listed, although this is currently not compatible with HomeKit.
[update] We’ve been contacted by another Store located in Sweden – evxab.com – who also sell many Aqara products, including the EU version of the Aqara Hub. You can check out their range of products via the link below;
Webhallen currently have the Aqara Hub priced at 799Kr, which is around UK£68/US$89/EU€77, so almost double the price of the Chinese version available on AliExpress, Gearbest etc. However, the fact that this will come with an EU plug will probably be enough for most Europeans to swallow when taking into account import taxes and long delivery times from Asia.
The release date for this product – at least in Sweden – is slated for April 2019 (hopefully not April 1st…) with the range of switches and sensors listed as being available from February 22nd. There’s still no firm news on the US version.
One of our colleagues who tipped us off with this story has already placed an order, so hopefully we’ll be able to share some official pics soon after. More information available via the link below.
Great news. Maybe they will also appear in other European countries. I barely use plug adapters. We get rid of the plug adapter.
They surely will appear in other EU states.
So will there be differences in firmware and supported devices between the EU version and the one from China?
I see that the Wall Switch (wired light switch) isn’t listed so I guess so!
I have just bought the version from China and wondered if there’d be any benefit to ‘upgrading’ to the EU version…
It’s hard to know at present as this will be the first non-Chinese Aqara Hub. The possible reason for the In wall switch may be simply that it’s not designed to fit EU wall recesses, although I don’t know if that’s the case tbh. I think it’s a case of ‘wait and see’ if it’s actually worth buying/upgrading.
Hopefully one with a UK plug will be released – I’ll definitely order one then, even if it is just to test it out…
No one in EU will buy this release, 77€ for the same product now sell for 25€, just for an adapter. I’m waiting to see the EU release before buying it but if this is the pile of junk that Aqara’s retailers think to sell to EU citizen they’re are wrong. It’s 2019 and we live in a global market.
It might be less expensive when it gets out on Amazon in Germany. Prices in Sweden tend to be a lot higher in general. The sensors on Webhallen are twice the Aliexpress price as well. It would be a lot more interesting when the prices go down to about € 50, € 55 tops, considering the lack of import duties and sales tax being included.
Hope an EU smart plug will also be added to the line-up soon, and at an affordable price since using an adapter on both sides on the plug makes no sense at all.
Good to see progress! Definitely hope the ability to add the Xiaomi or Aqara hub and all the sensors to the Mi Home app with the EU server selected will appear soon 🙂
Aqara Hub and Xiaomi devices are living a successful moment for the HomeKit support and the target price in 20/30€. If prices reaches the HomeKit devices there will be less interest on this solution, with the matters of Chinese server, troubles with HomeKit interface and privacy, although I speak for me, I’ve lost every interest on them.
I wonder how is Aqara doing in the US? Arent they suppose to be launching stuff and selling them at Amazon like since last year?
They were going to release on Amazon last year, but for some reason, everything was pulled. Since then there have been various mentions of them releasing them in the US at other times, all of which have come and gone without any change. The latest mention was from Aqara themselves, stating a release in March of this year, so we’ll soon find out if it’s true or not.