New US Switches Revealed in Updated Aqara App

Aqara today issue an update to their Aqara Home app, which is obstensively to allow users of Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant to integrate the Aqara hub into their smart homes, just like Apple HomeKit users can currently do. Whilst this is great news for users of these two systems, another more interesting addition – or in fact two additions – came to light with this update.

The list of devices available to US users is rather streamlined, but Aqara has now added two new wired/in-wall rocker switches, specifically designed for the US – the Smart Wall Switch (single rocker) and Smart Wall Switch (double rocker). We previously reported on these devices back in April of this year, so it finally seems that they’re due for release soon. The other thing that has taken us by surprise is that when trying to add a device, one would normally be requested to choose your hub in order to add a typical Aqara ZigBee device, but not so with the switches. Instead, you are requested to “look for a code on the accessory or its packaging”. This is a departure from the norm, but could just be another way of adding the device, as we’ve heard rumours of new scanning procedures coming up, but it certainly seems as though the scanning process isn’t asking for a HomeKit code as such. In the manual we found back in April, it does state, however, that a hub is required.

At this stage, it’s uncertain as to whether these switches will be exposed to HomeKit once added to the Aqara app, although there seems to be no reason not to think so. More news on this as we get it.