Aqara Releases Updated M1S With Custom Ringtones, WPA3 Support
Aqara, has released its Hub M1S Gen 2, an enhanced version of the brand’s iconic smart home control centre Hub M1S. Enabled with new hardware and software updates, the Hub M1S Gen 2 inherits most features from its predecessor and improves 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*, with availability expanding to North America (the US and Canada) in the following months.
Similar to other Aqara hubs, the Hub M1S Gen 2 is a control centre 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 colour, 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 a faster, secure and reliable connection;
- The new hub supports all 4 modes of the HomeKit Security System, which automatically syncs with the Alert System on the Aqara Home app.
* Product availability may vary among different retail channels and could be updated all the time. It’s recommended to check with the regional retailer(s) for real-time availability.
** To connect up to 128 Aqara child devices, repeater devices such as Smart Plug or Wall Switch (with Neutral) are required.
***press release***
Hello,
Thanks for this article ! Do you think the E1 hub will be Matter compatible ? They only talk about M1S and M2 but as it is a new hub it should me compatible right ?
Thanks in advance !
I’m only guessing, but the fact they continue to only mention the M1S and M2 would suggest the E1 won’t get a Matter upgrade, possibly due to its size, and therefore limited hardware space. That said, they haven’t officially mentioned the hub portion of the G3 being Matter compatible, but I’ve heard that will get updated.
Thanks for your answer ! I keep some hope because as you said, they only mention among their hub galaxy. This would be very frustrating for a lot of consumers…
Again, is this not available in the Uk with a UK plug? Never could find the original for the Uk.
Unfortunately not. Very frustrating I’m sure.
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I wonder if I set up a smarthome system with Apple Homekit, is there any difference between a global version hub and a Chinese version hub? I have some bluetooth Mijia devices and Zigbee Aqara sensors; and want to use Homekit for further security and privacy reasons. *I am a newbie. Thanks a lot for any help.
Hi, even though Chinese and International hubs do exactly the same thing, the Chinese models can only be added to your Aqara account when it’s connected to the China server, whereas international hubs can be added to any server, sometimes even including the China server as well. This doesn’t make any difference in HomeKit, as whatever server, or servers you use with what devices you have, they’ll all show up in HomeKit. This means you can have a Chinese hub on the China server, and a US hub on the US server, and both will show up in HomeKit. In the Aqara app, you would have to switch servers to see each hub separately, but you can still just use the one user account, so you don’t need separate accounts for each server, you just need to sign out and sign in every time you switch servers. As regards Mijia Bluetooth sensors, these won’t work (directly) with your hub, as it only uses Zigbee, so you can’t connected them.