Whilst some recently released Aqara products we’ve reported on are (or have initially) only available in Mainland China, it’s hard to dispute the fact that the Shenzhen-based company are turning out devices at a breakneck pace recently.
The latest product to surface in China is yet another HomeKit compatible Zigbee hub, that we reported on last September, namely the Aqara Wall Socket H1 (Gateway Version). Unlike the already available hubs, which include the original Aqara hub (now dubbed the M1), the Aqara P3, the recently released M1S and M2 (read our M2 review HERE), this doesn’t come with a plug, but is in fact a wall socket! Not only does it have a socket that is suitable for Type A (non-polarised) plugs and Type C EU plugs, but it also comes with a USB-A port capable of delivering 5V – 2A (max).
The H1 gateway also comes in three finishes to match the H1 switches that are available – White, Gold, or Grey – as well as the recently released S1 Display Panel, which we’ll be reviewing soon.
What’s most interesting of course is the fact that it’s a Zigbee 3.0 hub, and a HomeKit compatible one, at that. Whilst it can use 2.4GHz WiFi, using Mimo antennas to connect to your home network, like the Aqara M2 it also comes with the option to connect it via ethernet, although as it’s a wall plug, you would need to have the relevant ethernet cable running through to the wall recess where this would be situated, in order to take advantage of this.
As it’s a Chinese only product, listed on Taobao, one of China’s largest online seller stores, it’s designed for 86 style recesses, like their switches, so won’t be of much use to US customers (at least not without a wall adaptor) or even EU customers, due to the rounded shape of the recesses for EU switches and sockets. It’s also only suitable for countries that use 220-250V.
It’s listed on the Taobao website for RMB439 (roughly equivalent to US$68, EU€56), which is still reasonably priced, so if you happen to live in China, or have a friend that does, you might want to take a chance on it!