Not satisfied with the thermostats on the market that you can use with HomeKit? Aqara is rolling out its HomeKit-compatible Smart Thermostat S3 with Siri voice support.
While the device is initially available only in China, experts speculate it could be coming to the U.S. and Europe, as well.
Aqara Smart Thermostat S3
Aqara unveiled its new Smart Thermostat S3 thermostat in December, along with some other products. The company said the thermostat can control heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, plus water and underfloor heating, from its full-color, 3.95-inch LED display.
The device’s built-in sensors let you see temperature and humidity data. And with its HomeKit support, you can control the the thermostat using Siri voice commands. You can also use it in conjunction with other Aqara sensors.
Initially, Aqara released the S3 only in mainland China. It’s equipped with the company’s built-in Mandarin-speaking Xiao Qiao personal assistant.
Wider release possible
However, HomeKitNews, which first confirmed the device’s HomeKit compatibility, suggested that a release in Europe and the U.S. could be coming because those regions have widespread use of thermostats. So why wouldn’t the company aim to sell in those ripe markets?
In addition, the thermostat’s dimensions match the recesses used in Europe’s homes. But the back portion of the device is square. That seems more suitable to Chinese switch design and not necessarily ideal for the rounded form factor European homes in Europe tend to use.
Aqara offers a number of products for U.S. and/or European release, including a security camera, a smart hub to control sensors, an air quality monitor and more. The company also promised to add support for the Matter home automation standard in September 2021.
Of course, as Cult of Mac recently reported, the rollout of the Matter standard has been delayed once again, to fall 2022.
