Affordable indoor camera from Aqara
Aqara has launched a new affordable camera for smart homes, the Camera E1, which stands out for its low price and advanced features. The camera offers 2K video, a wide-angle lens, 360-degree pan and tilt, local storage and smart notifications.
Camera E1 is not only affordable but also compatible with Apple HomeKit Secure Video, making it one of the most cost-effective options supporting Apple's encrypted video service. Despite the fact that there are several budget-friendly cameras that work with Apple HomeKit, there are few that also support HomeKit Secure Video.
This camera is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home. Aqara have announced that their cameras will support Matter. The Camera E1 is Aqara's first device to support Wi-Fi 6, which contributes to faster network performance, and it also features Bluetooth 5.2 for setup and offline control.
The difference in price compared to Aqara's more expensive G series, which also has 2K resolution, is large. The essential difference is that the G Series also has a built-in hub.
Video recordings can be stored locally on a microSD card (up to 512 GB) or NAS, through Aqara's cloud service, or through Apple's HomeKit Secure Video service. This service offers encrypted storage for recorded videos in your personal iCloud and uses an Apple Home hub, like an Apple TV or HomePod, to analyze the footage locally and provide smart alerts for people, packages, pets and cars.
A disadvantage of using a camera like the E1 in HomeKit Secure Video is that the service only supports 1080p video, so you lose 2K quality. Apple also doesn't support camera pan and tilt in the Home app.
Camera E1 offers additional security features through Aqara's own app. Here you can take advantage of the better video quality and pan and tilt. If you have other Aqara devices, like contact sensors, the camera can be programmed to face a preset angle, like the front door, when that contact sensor is activated.
There's also a new privacy mode that disables the camera and directs the lens away from an activity zone. The E1 offers processing of smart alerts for humans and sounds, including squeals and cries, directly on the device. (Aqara says support for audio alerts will come in a future update.)
Aqara is offering a 20 percent launch discount on Amazon with the code CAMERAE1EU until November 17. This makes the E1 the cheapest pan and tilt camera with HomeKit Secure Video right now.
Source: Aqara
