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Shelly has announced the Presence Gen4, a plug-in mmWave radar sensor that can detect up to 10 people at once without using a camera. It is available from Shelly for $84.99 and supports several smart home platforms, though independent performance testing and details of its multi-person tracking remain unclear.
Shelly has launched the Presence Gen4, a smart home sensor that uses mmWave radar rather than a camera to detect people, movement and activity, with the company saying it can track up to 10 people at once. The device costs $84.99 through Shelly’s online store and is designed to trigger home automations while avoiding video capture.
The Presence Gen4 can sit on a shelf or table using its built-in stand, or be mounted on a wall. Shelly lists a 140-degree horizontal field of view and coverage of spaces up to 650 square feet. It requires a nearby power source for its USB-C cable, so it is not a battery-powered placement option.
Shelly says the sensor can connect with Google Home, Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings and Home Assistant. Its listed connectivity includes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee and Matter. The report says the product was available from Shelly at launch, with sales through Amazon and Best Buy expected later; it did not give dates for those listings.
Users can configure up to 10 detection zones independently. Those zones can be used to trigger actions when someone enters a particular area, such as turning on a lamp near a desk or activating a home theater when someone sits on a sofa. The sensor can also be configured to include pets, or adjusted to ignore low-lying movement that could otherwise prompt automations while a robot vacuum is operating.
Camera-Free Detection for Home Automations
The product offers a way to make presence-based smart home routines depend on where a person is in a room, rather than on a camera feed. For households that prefer not to install cameras in living spaces, radar-based sensing may offer a different approach to automating lights, heating, cooling or music. That distinction is about the sensor’s design: the report says it does not record people with a camera, but does not provide a full account of what data the device collects or how it is handled.
Its claimed multi-person capability and configurable zones could also make automations more specific than a simple occupancy trigger. Instead of switching on a whole room when anyone enters, a routine could respond to presence in a chosen area. The practical value will depend on how reliably the sensor distinguishes people, pets and other movement in users’ homes, which the supplied report does not independently test.
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From Occupancy to Zoned Sensing
The Presence Gen4 is a new accessory for Shelly’s smart home range. The Verge’s report placed its announcement after the company launched a $50 subscription-free security camera the previous month. The sensor is a separate product: it uses mmWave radar to detect presence and movement rather than capturing camera footage.
Radar presence sensors are intended to respond to movement and occupancy, while cameras can provide visual recordings. Shelly’s device adds multiple configurable zones and integrations with several smart home ecosystems, according to the report. Support for a platform does not by itself establish that every feature works identically across each system; the report does not detail any platform-specific limits.
multi-person detection radar sensor
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Performance and Data Practices
The report does not include independent accuracy tests or explain how the sensor distinguishes as many as 10 people in a space. It is also unclear how walls, furniture, room layout or people standing close together affect detection, and whether the stated 650-square-foot coverage applies under specific conditions.
Although the sensor uses radar instead of a camera, the available material does not explain what presence or activity data is stored, whether it is processed locally or in the cloud, or how long any data is retained. Pricing and launch availability are given, but the report does not specify when the product will reach Amazon or Best Buy or whether its capabilities differ across supported smart home platforms.
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Retail Rollout and Real-World Testing
Shelly’s online store is the reported launch channel, with Amazon and Best Buy availability expected but no retail dates provided. Buyers and reviewers can assess the sensor’s real-world range, multi-person detection and performance around pets and robot vacuums as it becomes more widely available.
Further details that would help clarify the product’s privacy and compatibility claims include its data-processing practices, platform-specific feature support and independent tests in different room layouts. Until those are available, the stated coverage and tracking capabilities remain product claims rather than verified results.
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Key Questions
What is the Shelly Presence Gen4?
It is a smart home presence sensor that uses mmWave radar to detect people, movement and activity without a camera, according to Shelly’s product details reported by The Verge.
How much does the Presence Gen4 cost?
The reported launch price is $84.99 through Shelly’s online store. Amazon and Best Buy sales were expected, but no dates were provided.
How many people can it detect?
Shelly says the sensor can detect up to 10 people simultaneously. The report does not include independent testing of that claim.
Which smart home systems does it support?
The reported compatible systems include Google Home, Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings and Home Assistant. Listed connectivity options include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee and Matter.
Does the sensor work without a power outlet?
No battery operation is described in the report. The Presence Gen4 uses a USB-C cable and needs access to a power source.
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