GoKawiilWhen Aqara first announced the Camera Hub G350, the headline that caught my eye was the claim that it is the first Matter-certified camera on the market. Matter, while not perfect, is a huge part of what I want out of the smart home industry: freedom from vendor lock-in. Let’s take a look at the new Aqara Camera Hub G350 and see how it works with Matter and HomeKit.
HomeKit Weekly is a series focused on smart home accessories, automation tips and tricks, and everything to do with Apple’s smart home framework.
What is in the box and tech specs
In the box, you will find the camera and a really long USB-C cord. I wish Aqara had included a wall adapter in the box, but I have plenty lying around. Spec-wise, here is what Aqara included in the Camera Hub G350.
Resolution and lenses: It uses a dual lens system that pairs a 4K wide-angle camera with a 2.5K telephoto lens. HomeKit Secure Video will again be limited to 1080p.
It uses a dual lens system that pairs a 4K wide-angle camera with a 2.5K telephoto lens. HomeKit Secure Video will again be limited to 1080p. Zoom and coverage: You get up to 9x hybrid zoom and a motorized pan-and-tilt base that provides a full 360-degree view of the room.
You get up to 9x hybrid zoom and a motorized pan-and-tilt base that provides a full 360-degree view of the room. Smart home hub: Beyond video, it operates as a Zigbee hub, a Matter Controller, and a Matter bridge for other Aqara devices.
Beyond video, it operates as a Zigbee hub, a Matter Controller, and a Matter bridge for other Aqara devices. Local AI tracking: The camera features on-device intelligence to automatically track people and pets. I am naturally skeptical of how well these algorithms perform in a busy living room, but keeping the processing local rather than sending it to the cloud is a great step for privacy. This is not connected to Apple Home.
The camera features on-device intelligence to automatically track people and pets. I am naturally skeptical of how well these algorithms perform in a busy living room, but keeping the processing local rather than sending it to the cloud is a great step for privacy. This is not connected to Apple Home. Storage: You can record locally with a microSD card up to 512 GB, utilize a NAS, or connect it to Apple HomeKit Secure Video.
You can record locally with a microSD card up to 512 GB, utilize a NAS, or connect it to Apple HomeKit Secure Video. Hardware privacy: Aqara included a physical lens shield that automatically covers the camera when it’s off, allowing you to verify it. I love this feature, and I wish every camera included it.
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