Eve has today announced an update to the US version of their Eve Energy smart plug that will be released with Thread on March 6th, for US$39.95. Alongside this, the company will be releasing a new version of their Eve Weather and the 2nd gen of Eve Aqua, both also coming with Thread built-in.
The latest EU version of Eve Energy already comes with Thread, so it’s great to see some progress in this manner regarding the US version, with the U.K. variant due with Thread in May for £34.99, and other variants hopefully getting the much talked about updates down the line.
With the Eve Energy priced tag of US$40, in this day and age it’s quite steep for even a HomeKit compatible smart plug, but with Eve’s attention to build quality, functionality, and of course Thread, it’s quite likely these will sell like hotcakes.
As if that wasn’t enough, according to our colleagues over at smartapfel.de, Eve will be releasing the first Thread-enabled light switch on the market, although this will only initially be the EU version, with the US version to follow on at some point.
The new Eve Weather comes with an E-Ink display, like the Eve Room (2nd gen), and like the latter, measures temperature and humidity, but also can display ‘weather trends’ via barometric pressure readings, and as already mentioned, will come with Thread, which will help this device specifically, given that it’s designed for outdoor use, where typically Bluetooth has a hard time reaching.
The Eve Weather ships on March 25th, which we take to mean both the US and Europe. Pricing for the EU will be €69.95, and U.K. for £64.99, with similar pricing for the US.
Good thing!
Have you heard of companies currently working on wired/wireless Thread wall switches and dimmers? (or possibly in-wall Thread modules)?
Aqara for example could update their Zigbee 3.0 products to Thread, but I don’t know if they will, as they would have to be ok that a 3rd-party home hub like the HomePod mini could replace their own hubs, which they sell for their own ecosystem.
I know of a couple of devices that will come out with Thread in the summer hopefully, but they aren’t switches. I can’t see Aqara going down the Thread route at this time, for the reasons you mention.
I just want eve button to have it
I’ll second that.