The Meross presence sensor gets rid of the wire and adds thread support

Meross has announced a new version of the MS600 presence sensor that is now battery powered, so installation isn’t limited to places where you can disguise a power cord.

A single CR123A battery powers the new MS605 presence sensor for up to three years. Battery life may decrease in high traffic areas if the sensor is activated frequently. that it Available for pre-order now Through the Meross online store and discounted to $34.99 for a limited time.

The switch to battery power is made possible by another new feature: Matter support via the low-power Thread protocol. MS605 His predecessor was a year old It was also compatible with the Matter, but over Wi-Fi. You’ll need to make sure you have a Thread-capable hub somewhere in your home to use the MS605 with Google Home, Apple Home, or Alexa, but it doesn’t have to be a Meross hub.

The MS605 has a similar design to the older MS600 and carries its own hinged mounting plate, allowing the sensor to be angled up to 90 degrees and rotated 360 degrees. It has been upgraded with an IP67 waterproof rating so it can now be used outdoors. It also provides the same combination of light, passive infrared (PIR) and 24 GHz radar sensors used to detect people in motion or standing still, and to distinguish inanimate moving objects, such as a window curtain, from humans. The only real downside to the battery is that the MS605’s range has been reduced to 6 meters (from 12) for motion and 4 meters (from 6) for presence detection.