Aqara introduced local control via app: Does it matter?

Aqara, a major Matter adopter, recently made another move to improve the Matter experience by introducing local control after it added support for over 40 new Matter device types.

So, how does it work, and why should you care about this feature? Here’s a breakdown:

Server outage in the US

It was quite a scene when I found all my devices and services inaccessible from the Aqara app today. I was trying to set up a new device and had trouble logging into my US account, which I usually use for routine testing. After trying all possible combinations, I managed to sneak into the app, only to find all devices offline. The app kept reminding me of network issues with all kinds of error codes.

My first thought was that it could be my network, as I am in a different region. After toggling all the network options and proxy rules, I assumed Aqara’s server must be down. To my surprise, in this case, even my Matter devices connected to Aqara’s Matter controllers were down – devices that should in theory work fully locally.

I soon got confirmation from both the community and Aqara that the server was indeed down and was being fixed. While I was still frustrated, a new social post from Aqara China caught my attention: the introduction of App Localized Control.

A timing for local control

According to Aqara, with the latest app version, the app can now communicate directly with your Aqara hubs locally (with the Hub M3 required). I went to the app settings and managed to enable the “App Localized Control” feature before network errors flooded my app.

Aqara Hub M3

The Aqara Hub M3 is a Matter-compatible gateway that connects and manages up to 128 smart devices, facilitating local device automation without relying on Wi-Fi.

Buy at Amazon US for $109.99

Once I returned to the main page, all my devices came back online in the Aqara app like magic. There’s even a small icon in the corner indicating that the app is in LAN mode.

Overall, the feature enables basic control of your home devices, although the experience is still somewhat buggy.

You can check device status by tapping on device cards. Most accessory controls work well, such as setting the target temperature on a Matter air conditioner or changing the color of a Matter lightbulb.

My Thread-based devices like Eve Energy and the Heiman temperature and humidity sensor worked well too.

Eve Energy (U.K.)

The Eve Energy (U.K.) is a smart plug that supports Matter for enhanced device compatibility and utilizes Thread technology for improved energy efficiency and connectivity.

View Product Info

Aqara Camera E1 is also streaming smoothly in the app while the doorbell camera is down.

In addition to Matter devices, Aqara’s first-party Zigbee gadgets also load and remain controllable during the server failure period.

However, from time to time, network errors still popped up (the server is still down as I write this), and the app would get stuck, requiring me to force-close and reopen it for control.

Local control: Where are we now?

Even though Matter operates fully locally in theory, the actual experience depends on the Matter controller and vendor choices. The Aqara server failure freaked me out, as such outages have been rare in my personal experience with the platform.

This is something that only comes to your attention when things go out of control. For devices that rely on an app and a connected cloud service, this rings an alarm: sooner or later, you’ll lose access temporarily or permanently. I’ve had an extreme experience with another primary Matter platform, which froze my account and factory reset both my home hub and e-reader remotely. I had to provide a ton of personal information to recover the account, but still needed to set up my devices from scratch.

It’s a dilemma for Matter. The specification itself allows for little customization, and users often need remote access. Thankfully, more devices are now exposing essential settings to Matter, allowing powerful platforms like Home Assistant to take control locally.

Home Assistant

Home Assistant is an open-source home automation platform focused on privacy and local control, allowing full customization of your smart home.

View Product Info

There are alternative options, too. For large platforms like Aqara and eWeLink, local control features sit on top of their cloud connections. This provides better responsiveness and can be a lifeline during outages.

ThirdReality Smart Color Night Light

The ThirdReality Smart Color Night Light (3RSNL02041WM) is a Matter protocol device offering color lighting and motion sensing capabilities.

Buy at Amazon US for $29.99

Meanwhile, firms like ThirdReality are taking a different approach by making a local-only app with a built-in Matter controller. This lets you change vendor-specific features without an internet connection, and the app can also serve as a local smart hub if you run it in the foreground.

Homey Pro (Early 2023)

Homey Pro is a local-first smart home hub that unifies thousands of devices and technologies into one intelligent, privacy-focused automation system.

Buy at Amazon US for $397.99

Aqara’s new local control feature is a step in the right direction, providing more peace of mind for smart home users who want reliability, even when the cloud is down. It somehow gave me a feeling similar to using Homey, which is a fancy and powerful local smart home platform. My cautious optimism rises when Aqara takes further steps with Matter and local home automation.

Until then, please fix the server issue.