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Shelly has brought its Presence Gen4 radar occupancy sensor to the US, where it sells for $84.99. The camera-free device can reportedly track up to 10 people in one space and supports configurable detection zones and several smart-home platforms.
Shelly has begun selling its Presence Gen4 sensor in the US for $84.99, bringing a camera-free way to detect room occupancy to the market. The device uses mmWave radar rather than video, and The Verge reports that it can track up to 10 people at once in a single space.
The sensor uses mmWave radar to detect people and pets, including people who are sitting still, according to The Ambient’s report. Because it has no camera, it does not capture video. That could make it suitable for spaces such as bedrooms, bathrooms and home offices, where some residents may not want a camera-based monitoring device. The absence of video does not, by itself, establish what other information the device or connected systems store; Shelly’s data-handling details were not included in the source report.
Shelly lists a 140-degree horizontal field of view and coverage of up to 42 square metres. The sensor can be configured with up to 10 independently set detection zones, allowing automations to respond to activity in a particular part of a room rather than to occupancy anywhere in it. For example, a desk-area zone could trigger lighting, heating, cooling or music when someone sits down, then switch devices off after the person leaves.
Settings can adjust sensitivity, including whether pets are detected and whether objects near the floor are ignored. The latter may help prevent a robot vacuum from triggering an occupancy routine. A built-in light sensor reports whether a room is dark, at twilight or bright, which can be used alongside presence detection for lighting routines. The sensor can stand on a shelf or table or be mounted on a wall, but it needs to be placed near a power source for its USB-C cable.
Camera-Free Sensing for Room Automations
The Gen4’s selling point is the combination of presence detection without video and controls that can target specific areas of a room. For households that want lights or climate settings to react to people who are not moving, radar can address a limitation of motion sensors that may stop registering someone sitting at a desk or resting in a room. The product’s reported ability to follow several people at once could also make it useful in shared spaces, though the source material does not describe how it distinguishes or identifies individuals.
For buyers, the $84.99 price places the sensor above Shelly’s $50 subscription-free security camera, which The Ambient says launched in the US the previous month. They serve different purposes: the camera can provide video, while the Gen4 is designed to report presence and related sensor information without producing footage. Whether the radar device suits a home depends on the buyer’s automation setup, privacy expectations and willingness to add a powered sensor to each relevant space.
Its broad platform list may help people avoid relying on one smart-home ecosystem. Shelly says the sensor supports Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, Home Assistant and Samsung SmartThings, alongside Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5 LE, Zigbee 3.0 and Matter over Wi-Fi. Actual features and setup may vary by platform; the source report does not detail which integrations expose every setting or automation option.
Shelly Presence Gen4 radar occupancy sensor
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From European Launch to US Retail
The Presence Gen4 is not a brand-new product globally: Shelly launched it in Europe in April, months before its US availability. The US launch adds another radar-based occupancy option for consumers considering smart-home routines that respond to presence rather than only to movement. The Ambient report says the sensor is available now through Shelly’s online store.
UK buyers also have access to the device. The report names The Pi Hut as a UK retailer listing it for £67.10, while giving a rough conversion of the US price as around £63. These are separate market prices, and exchange rates, taxes and retailer pricing can affect comparisons. The sensor’s physical setup is relatively straightforward according to the report: it can sit on a surface or be wall-mounted, but requires access to power through USB-C.
“The Presence Gen4 can track up to 10 people at once in a single space.”
— The Verge, as reported by The Ambient
Limits of Tracking and Platform Support
The source material does not specify how the reported 10-person tracking capacity performs in different room layouts, at what distance it applies, or whether the sensor can distinguish one person from another over time. It also does not provide independent test results for the stated coverage area, detection accuracy or reliability when pets and people are present together.
Other practical details remain unspecified, including data retention and processing, whether any occupancy data is sent to cloud services, and which functions are available through each supported smart-home platform. The report also does not give a battery option or a precise power-consumption figure; it says the sensor uses a USB-C cable and needs to be near a power source. Buyers may need to check Shelly’s product documentation and the requirements of their chosen hub or platform before purchase.
Availability and Buyer Checks
The Presence Gen4 is available now from Shelly’s US online store at $84.99, according to The Ambient. UK customers can find it through retailers including The Pi Hut, listed at £67.10. The source report does not give a broader rollout schedule for additional US retailers or announce a future product update.
Before buying, consumers can check Shelly’s current specifications for installation, compatibility and privacy practices, then confirm that the desired automations work with their chosen smart-home platform. For a camera-free sensor, the key questions are whether its detection zones cover the intended room, whether its sensitivity settings suit pets or robot vacuums, and how occupancy data is handled.
Key Questions
How much does the Shelly Presence Gen4 cost in the US?
It is listed at $84.99 through Shelly’s US online store, according to The Ambient.
Does the Presence Gen4 have a camera?
No. The device uses mmWave radar for presence detection and does not capture camera footage. The source material does not detail how occupancy data is processed or stored.
How many people can it track at once?
The Verge, as cited by The Ambient, reports that it can track up to 10 people in one space. The available report does not explain how the sensor distinguishes individuals or under what test conditions that limit applies.
Which smart-home systems does it support?
The report lists Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, Home Assistant and Samsung SmartThings, as well as Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5 LE, Zigbee 3.0 and Matter over Wi-Fi. Buyers should check Shelly’s documentation for feature availability on their specific platform.
Does it need to be plugged in?
Yes. The sensor uses a USB-C cable and needs to be positioned near a power source, whether it is placed on a surface or mounted on a wall.
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