The Matter-compatible Aqara Ceiling Light T1M is now available to order worldwide.
Back at IFA 2023 Aqara wowed us with this unique smart light, one that made us take notice⦠quite literally.
Thatâs because the Aqara Ceiling Light T1M is actually two smart lights in one. Thereâs an inner part and an outer ring and the suggestion is that the latter could be used for visual notifications.
For example, you could have a blue light turn on if a water sensor detected a leak, a red light if a security camera detected a person where there shouldnât be one, or a yellow light if a window was left open for a certain period of time.
The possibilities are pretty endless. You can, of course, also just use the outer ring to create nice lighting effects, as per this cosy bedroom scene…
Like the Aqara LED Strip T1 that was launched last year, the Aqara Ceiling Light T1M can be added to your Matter smart home setup.
As with most Zigbee Aqara devices, if you want to add Matter, Alexa or Google Home to the mix then you’ll need to pair it with one of the many Aqara smart home hubs, it’s not a native-Matter device.
If you want to add the Ceiling Light T1M to your Matter smart home then that hub needs to be, at the moment at least, the Hub M2, as Matter was added to that back in February.
Aqara also has its own Matter controller / Thread border router incoming; the Aqara M3 Hub was announced at CES in January and will arrive in Q2 of 2024. The M3 looks like being the perfect solution for anyone who already has a collection of Aqara’s Zigbee sensors and wants to expand to a Matter system.
Other Aqara hubs – like the Hub M1S, Hub E1, Camera Hub G3, and Camera Hub G2H Pro – are said to be receiving a Matter update over the coming months.
Back to the Ceiling Light T1M and it is crafted for spaces spanning 5 to 20 square meters, and boasts a spectrum from warm-to-cool whites (2700-6500K) to an extensive palette of 16 million colors, providing a diverse array of lighting possibilities.
Because it’s wired into your mains and constantly ‘on’ it also acts as a Zigbee repeater for your other Aqara devices.
As well as the Ceiling Light T1M, Aqara also had the Smart Lock U200 on show at IFA last year, which trumps the Smart Lock U100 as it’s Aqaraâs first Matter-over-Thread smart lock.
The U200 has just landed on Kickstarter, where it is being snapped up at early bird pricing of $169; the regular price is set to be around the $250 mark.
The U200 operates with existing cylinders and requires no drilling or door modifications, and uses NFC, fingerprints, PIN codes and mobile apps for unlocking options.
Apple Home Keys is set to be added to the mix too.
Shipping for the U200 is forecast for April, the Aqara Ceiling Light T1M is $149.99 Stateside and £149.99 in the UK. It’s on sale in multiple countries via Amazon right now.
