Aqara releases Apple HomeKit-compatible Hub G2H Pro

Aqara, a provider of smart home products, has released its Camera Hub G2H Pro, an updated version of the Aqara Camera Hub G2H. 

The company says that, compared to its predecessor, the G2H Pro features wider compatibility with third-party ecosystems, more storage options and added functionalities such as privacy masking, custom ringtone, and timelapse clip generation. It purportedly inherits and improvespremium features from its predecessor, such as the Zigbee 3.0 hub function with an upgraded support of up to 128 Aqara accessories, and the slightly wider viewing angle of 146° (diagonal) due to the absent distortion correction. 

According to the folks at Aqara, key improvements of the new camera also include:

• Fuller HomeKit support: apart from HomeKit Secure Video and HomeKit-enabled 2-way audio, the G2H Pro supports all 4 modes of the HomeKit Security System which automatically syncs with the Alert System on the Aqara Home app;
• Wider compatibility: apart from HomeKit, the G2H Pro is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home, including streaming to Amazon and Google smart displays;
• More storage options: for local storage users can use a micorSD card with an increased maximum capacity of 512 GB, or opt for the Samba NAS storage with the SMB 1.0-compatible software;
• Activity zones and privacy masking: on the Aqara Home app users can configure not only activity zones to reduce unnecessary alerts, but also local privacy masking zones to block certain parts of the image to be recorded or sent to Aqara or third-party ecosystems including HomeKit, Alexa and Google for enhanced privacy;
• Custom ringtones and timelapse clip generation: G2H Pro users are allowed to use uploaded recordings as ringtones and for home automation, and they can use the new timelapse clip generation functionality to generate a short video summarizing the day.

Like the G2H, the new G2H Pro model serves as a home security center and connects with other Aqara sensors. In the cases of an abnormal sound detection, an unexpected door opening, or an unexpected human motion, the camera notifies users via the smartphone, triggers the built-in siren, and records a short video clip which will be synced to the Aqara cloud. 

The Aqara cloud storage is subscription free, and can be disabled on the app (available in the Apple App Store). If local storage is available, user can choose to record and save only the clips of such critical events locally, or to record constantly and store the 24/7 footage.

To celebrate the launch, Aqara now offers a 15% discount for the new G2H Pro on its Amazon brand stores. North American customers will enjoy the offer with the promo code G2HPROPR in the US and Canada, while European customers can take advantage of it using the promo code PRG2HPRO in the UK, Germany and France. Both codes will be valid through Mar 5, 2022.