HomeKit Weekly: The Aqara G400 brings PoE and HomeKit Secure Video to your front door

Source: 9to5Mac

When Aqara announced the Doorbell Camera G400 with Power over Ethernet support, it immediately caught my attention. PoE isn’t for everyone, but if you want it, you’ll likely ignore any option that doesn’t include it. Dual‑band Wi‑Fi 6 is a solid fallback, yet nothing beats the 24/7 stability of a wired connection. The G400 delivers that stability, plus local AI detection and a tall aspect ratio designed to spot packages. Let’s break down exactly what this doorbell brings to Apple Home users.

HomeKit Weekly is a series focused on smart‑home accessories, automation tips and tricks, and everything related to Apple’s smart‑home framework.

HomeKit Secure Video and technical trade‑offs

The big feature for most of us is support for HomeKit Secure Video. This gives you encrypted recordings, face recognition tied to your Apple Photos library, and activity zones in the Home app. However, keep the hardware limitations in mind:

• The G400 is a 2K camera, but Apple limits HomeKit Secure Video to 1080p.
• If you use both the Aqara app and Apple Home simultaneously, the lower resolution applies to both platforms.

To get the most out of the G400 in Apple Home, you’ll need an iCloud+ subscription and a HomeKit hub (HomePod mini or Apple TV). While the resolution cap is frustrating, the trade‑off is seamless integration into the Apple ecosystem: detailed notifications on iPhone and Apple Watch, and live‑feed viewing on Apple TV when someone rings.

If HKSV limitations start to wear on you, Aqara includes RTSP and ONVIF support, letting you send a high‑quality stream to a Synology while still keeping the Home app for daily use.

Head‑to‑toe video and local AI

Beyond Apple Home integration, the camera hardware is built for front‑door needs:

• 165‑degree ultra‑wide field of view with a 3:4 aspect ratio. Older doorbells often use a 16:9 widescreen format, which is great for standard security cameras but terrible for spotting packages placed right against the door.
• 940 nm infrared LEDs provide night vision.
• On‑device person recognition and zone intrusion detection work without a cloud connection.
• Continuous 24/7 recording can be saved to a microSD card (up to 512 GB) and automatically backed up to a Synology or any SMB‑compatible NAS.

Tech specs on the Aqara Doorbell Camera G400

• Resolution & field of view: 2K HD, 165‑degree ultra‑wide, 3:4 aspect ratio.
• Power & connectivity: PoE, existing 8‑24 V AC/DC doorbell wiring, dual‑band Wi‑Fi 6.
• Night vision: 940 nm infrared LEDs.
• Weatherproofing: IP65 rating.
• Storage: Local microSD up to 512 GB for continuous recording, with automatic NAS backups.

Wrap‑up on the Aqara Doorbell Camera G400

Finding a HomeKit Secure Video doorbell that checks every box is nearly impossible, but the Aqara Doorbell Camera G400 gets incredibly close for a strong price. By offering Power over Ethernet, Aqara solves the biggest pain point of a smart doorbell: getting a strong Wi‑Fi signal outdoors. In a brick house, Wi‑Fi outside can be a challenge because RF doesn’t penetrate well.

I’d love to see Apple evolve HomeKit Secure Video’s features, but until then we have to accept the trade‑offs. As manufacturers continue adding great features that aren’t compatible with HKSV, a local NAS becomes an increasingly attractive backup.

You can buy the Aqara Doorbell Camera G400 on Amazon or learn more from Aqara.

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