Aqara is entering the competitive world of smart doorbells with the global launch of the Video Doorbell G4. This is not to be confused with the Ubiquiti UniFi Protect G4 Doorbell but it does make a good alternative product to it.
While some aspects of this doorbell camera look like appealing than the competition, it has several features that are significantly better.
The Aqara G4 has a 1080P resolution with 162° field of view, and it can be powered via six AA batteries or an AC/DC adapter. For AC, it needs to be 12V – 24V 0.2A 50/60Hz, or for DC, it needs 8V – 24V 0.5A.
It uses local storage and 7-days free cloud storage, so there is no subscription required, unlike Arlo and Ring. Local storage is via up to 512GB microSD card on the chime repeater, so you can store 24/7 recordings locally. It should also support recording to a NAS.
The chime repeater is powered via USB-C, giving you a bit more flexibility on placement in comparison to the plug-in chimes most other brands use.
One big advantage this has over the likes of Arlo, Ring and Eufy Security is that you can set the camera to record continuously. I think this feature is limited to when the camera is wired up, rather than running on AA batteries.
On top of the normal advanced object detection features most cameras have now, this includes facial recognition. It is only the Eufy Security cameras with the HomeBase 3 that I have tried with similar features.
This will also have superior smart home integration than competing brands. It will work with Apple Home and supports HomeKit Secure Video. It should also integrate nicely with Home Assistant like other Aqara products.
This is also expected to be upgraded to support the new Matter standard via a future OTA firmware upgrade. Currently, Ring and Eufy are a bit vague about this, but Arlo has stated they will support the development. At the moment, Matter does not support cameras, hence the lack of support from these companies.
The device is now available on Aqara’s Amazon brand stores in North America, Europe (geo-targeted link) and Amazon UK.
Pricing in the US is $120, with UK and EU pricing to be confirmed soon. That’s roughly the same price as the basic options from competing brands like Arlo and Ring.
In celebration of the launch, Aqara offers a 15% discount for the new device on the Amazon brand stores, and the promo codes and product links are as following. The offer is valid through March 25.
North American stores: USCAVDG4 (applicable to Amazon US & Canada)
European stores*: EUDOORBELLG4 (applicable to Amazon France, Germany, Italy, Spain & UK)
Full Press Release
Aqara, a leading provider of smart home products, announces the wide availability of the Company’s first smart video doorbell, the G4, on global markets. This 1080p doorbell features wide compatibility with third-party smart home platforms such as Apple Home, Alexa and Google Home, and it is equipped with on-device AI to enable local facial recognition alerts and automation. Together with the Company’s indoor cameras, the video doorbell G4 helps users keep an eye on their homes, families and visitors anytime, anywhere. The device is now available on Aqara’s Amazon brand stores in both North America and Europe as well as via selective Aqara retailers worldwide.
Similar to Aqara’s Camera Hub G3, the Aqara Smart Video Doorbell G4 features AI-based facial recognition, which is executed locally on device for faster response and privacy protection. Moreover, facial recognition of the doorbell can be used as an automation trigger, allowing users to set up customized home automation for different families and visitors. For example, the welcome home scene will be activated when the G4 recognizes a family member coming home. Or in the case that it detects the postman, the doorbell will play a pre-recorded message. When connected to other Aqara devices, the G4 doorbell can also be a strong addition to the Aqara Home alert system as it not only monitors the activities around the front porch but also lets out a loud siren in case of home intrusion and other emergencies.
Apart from the Aqara ecosystem, the G4 doorbell also supports major third-party smart home platforms including Apple Home, Amazon Alexa and Google Home. This device is one of the few battery-powered video doorbells on the market that support Apple’s HomeKit Secure Video as well as the local streaming to Amazon and Google smart displays. Moreover, Aqara anticipates adding the support of the new Matter standard to the G4 via a future OTA (over the air) update2.
With two color variants, Shadow Gray and Black, the video doorbell G4 is designed to fit into most home environments. It supports both wireless and wired installation and can use a pack of 6 AA batteries that lasts about 4 months3. The doorbell offers adjustable sensitivity, configurable motion detection and even a power saving mode for users who live in a high traffic area to extend the battery life. Alternatively, users can opt to wire the G4 doorbell to an AC/DC transformer for 24/7 recording4, and use the battery pack as a back-up power source. Additionally, the G4’s chime repeater, which is equipped with a 95 dB speaker, houses a Type-C port, and allows more flexibility for users to place the chime repeater indoors.
Users of the Video Doorbell G4 can store video footage locally or on the cloud via iCloud or Aqara platform5. Aqara offers a subscription-free cloud storage of up to 7 days of critical event clips such as motion detection, facial recognition, doorbell ring and tamper alerts. Users can also choose to save video footage locally using a microSD card (up to 512 GB)6, which is housed in the indoor chime repeater. Finally, videos can also be stored via SMB NAS for added flexibility and security7.
Product availability may vary among different retail channels, and could be updated all the time. It’s recommended to check with the regional retailer(s) for real time availability.
Matter support is not available by the time of launch.
Based on assumption of 35 device wake-ups and one 6-second event video recording per day. The actual battery life may vary, depending on multiple factors including device usage, battery capacity, ambient temperature, etc.
A 12-24V AC or 8-24V DC transformer is required. Both a wired installation and the use of a microSD card are required for 24/7 recording.
iCloud or other supported cloud storage is not included, and should be controlled separately via the respecting app.
The microSD card is not included.
SMB NAS support may be unavailable by the time of product launch.
Originally posted on Mighty Gadget – Follow on Twitter – Instagram – Facebook – Mighty Gadget Latest Reviews
Last update on 2023-03-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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