Aqara Launches its First North American Smart Switch with Display

Aqara has introduced the Touchscreen Switch S100 US, a two-channel smart wall switch with an integrated colour touchscreen and native Matter support. Designed for US electrical installations, the device combines conventional wired lighting control with on-device access to compatible smart home devices and scenes.

The S100 operates using Matter over Wi-Fi, supporting both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands along with WiFi 6. In addition to Wi-Fi connectivity, the switch includes Bluetooth (usually for initial pairing) and has a built-in Thread Border Router, allowing it to contribute to the stability and coverage of a Thread network for supported low-power devices. At present, the Thread Border Router capability is limited to Aqara Home and Samsung SmartThings. Whether that will change to include Apple Home in the future, we’re not Sure.

It’s also worth noting that whilst this offers support for Thread devices as a Thread Border Router, the switch itself is not a Matter Controller, and so you’ll still need a Matter Controller for your chosen smart home platform, including Aqara Home.

The hardware comprises two physical buttons for direct control of connected lighting circuits, alongside a touchscreen interface that can be customised with device and scene cards. Due to the screen, this device does require a neutral wire. Up to six cards can be displayed in various layouts, enabling quick access to frequently used controls. The display can also function as a centralised smart home interface, providing local control of compatible Matter devices such as lights, plugs, switches, and outlets, as well as Aqara Zigbee devices when used within the Aqara platform.

The touchscreen further supports up to eight programmable smart home shortcuts, which can be used as triggers for scenes or automations. Availability of these wireless button functions may vary depending on the Matter platform in use. Flexible button configuration allows the physical switches to operate in a traditional manner, maintain a fixed power state, or act purely as smart triggers.

Energy monitoring is included, with power consumption data accessible through the Aqara Home app. In terms of specifications, the Touchscreen Switch S100 US supports Wi-Fi 802.11 a, b, g, n, ac, and ax standards, along with Bluetooth and Thread. If you have a WiFi router capable of WiFi 6, this will be supported in the switch. The S100 (US) is rated for an input of 100~240V at 50 or 60Hz, with a maximum load of 10A for incandescent lighting and up to 400W for LED or CFL loads.

Aqara’s website states there are two versions of the S100 (US), with the standard model designated as the Touchscreen Switch S100 US, whilst the other model appears to include a presence sensor, with the model named the Presence Touchscreen Switch S100 US. Only the former seems to currently be available, at least on Amazon.com, priced at US$99.99.