Home / Technology / Matter Cameras Arrive: First Camera Lacks Key Features
Matter Cameras Arrive: First Camera Lacks Key Features
17 Mar
Summary
- Aqara's G350 is the first camera to support the Matter smart home standard.
- Initial Matter functionality is limited to live streaming and basic controls.
- Full Matter features like pan-tilt and advanced recording are not yet supported.
The Aqara Camera Hub G350 has launched, representing the first device to support the Matter smart home standard for cameras. This pan-and-tilt indoor security camera boasts up to 4K video resolution and dual lenses, offering a 4K wide-angle and a 2.5K telephoto option with hybrid zoom. It also includes a 360-degree pan-tilt mechanism and a physical privacy shutter. However, initial Matter integration, currently only functional with Samsung SmartThings, is limited to live video streaming and basic two-way audio. Many promised Matter camera features, including full pan-tilt controls and advanced recording settings, are not yet implemented. Users will need to update firmware and may still rely on the Aqara app for full functionality.
Beyond Matter, the G350 supports Apple's HomeKit Secure Video and connects to other platforms via the cloud. Local storage is available via microSD, with RTSP support for platforms like Home Assistant. Aqara also offers an end-to-end encrypted cloud storage service. The onboarding process for Matter support was described as complex, requiring multiple firmware updates before successful integration as a camera on SmartThings. While Matter aims to unify camera management across brands, current implementations, like the G350's, demonstrate that this unified experience is still a work in progress, with many advanced features expected in future updates.
