Elgato Launches First HomeKit-Enabled Light Switch

Wednesday October 26, 2016 8:25 AM PDT by Joe Rossignol
Elgato today launched the Eve Light Switch, the first available light switch to support Apple's HomeKit platform.

eve-light-switch-homekit
Eve Light Switch replaces a standard light switch to transform any single or multi-bulb setup into an intelligent lighting system controllable via Siri voice commands or the Elgato Eve app. The switch connects directly to an iPhone or iPad using Bluetooth LE, without the need for a hub, gateway bridge, or Wi-Fi configuration.

The switch has a clean, white modern design with a capacitive touch sensor to manually turn a light on or off with the tap of a finger. The switch requires a neutral wire and replaces a single pole switch. It is not intended for use in a 3-way installation where lights are controlled by more than one switch.

Homeowners can create HomeKit scenes to control Eve Light Switch and other HomeKit-enabled accessories with a single command. The light switch can also be controlled away from home with a third-generation Apple TV running software version 7.2.1 or later or a fourth-generation Apple TV with tvOS 9.2 or later set up as a Home Hub.

iDevices introduced a similar HomeKit-enabled wall switch at CES 2016 earlier this year, and had aimed for second quarter availability, but it has since delayed the product's launch until the fourth quarter. The switch will connect over Wi-Fi and features a customizable LED night light and support for 3-way installations.

Eve Light Switch is available starting today for $49.95 on Amazon and Elgato's website. The companion Eve app is a free download from the App Store [Direct Link] for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch models running iOS 9.3 or later.

Tags: HomeKit Guide, Elgato
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thelead
44 months ago

Why pay $50 for this light switch and still buy separate bulbs, when you can just buy something like the Philips Hue bulbs, which gets you a good LED bulb that has Homekit compatibility and full RGB control?

Fixtures that use bulbs that Philips does not make. Plus there are switches that control multiple ceiling lights. It's much cheaper to buy one switch than multiple smart bulbs.
Rating: 7 Votes
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BigCLC
44 months ago
There are already two different homekit compatible light switches on the market, one made by lutron and the other by insteon. Both have been available for atleast a year...
Rating: 5 Votes
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Madmic23
44 months ago

Why pay $50 for this light switch and still buy separate bulbs, when you can just buy something like the Philips Hue bulbs, which gets you a good LED bulb that has Homekit compatibility and full RGB control?


Because a switch can operate a light fixture with multiple bulbs. If your fixture has three bulbs, Hue would cost you $150 for bulbs, whereas this is just $50.
Rating: 4 Votes
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TurboPGT!
44 months ago
The HomeKit compatible light switch is a big deal, and makes the first major inroad to HomeKit being universally distributable in any new home.

I have HomeKit-enabled lights all over my home...but all of these fixtures lack any sort of wired wall switch for operation...which makes HomeKit control infinitely better than pull chain or other controls.

Others I know recently purchased a brand new construction...that has no shortage of lights...and no shortage of light switches to control all of those lights. The said to me, "We want to do it like your house so we can control everything from the phone/pad/tv."

...to which I responded...Yeah, that's great, so as long as you never touch another light switch. The moment you turn a light off at the switch, the entire thing falls apart. Getting the switches themselves under Home Kit control and making them digital instead of hard analog toggles is critical to this kind of smart home control merging with the physical controls that are still great and still exist.
Rating: 2 Votes
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aristobrat
44 months ago

There are already two different homekit compatible light switches on the market, one made by lutron and the other by insteon. Both have been available for atleast a year...

IMO, this one is interesting because it natively speaks HomeKit (something that the Insteon and Lutron switches don't), so you don't need an additional hub (in addition to an AppleTV4 or iPad) to automate it.
Rating: 2 Votes
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CrzyP
44 months ago
The price is better than Lutron, but I'm concerned about the Bluetooth range. My Apple TV is not centrally located in my home but my Lutron bridge is. Hopefully with the introduction of these switches, Lutron will drop the prices of theirs. Also, by sticking with Lutron, we're not tied to the HomeKit ecosystem.
Rating: 1 Votes
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Zorn
44 months ago
Why pay $50 for this light switch and still buy separate bulbs, when you can just buy something like the Philips Hue bulbs, which gets you a good LED bulb that has Homekit compatibility and full RGB control?
Rating: 1 Votes
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convergent
44 months ago
The biggest problem I can see with this is that they need to have multi-switch versions. In my house, most if not all of the lights I would want to automate are on 3-4 switch panels. If they do it, hopefully it also won't be linear priced. I would hate to pay $200 for a switch!

All of that said, I have been wanting to delve into HomeKit, particularly to be able to have the house look like someone is here when we are away. This seems like an inexpensive and simple way to stick a toe in the water.
Rating: 1 Votes
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WilliamG
44 months ago

IMO, this one is interesting because it natively speaks HomeKit (something that the Insteon and Lutron switches don't), so you don't need an additional hub (in addition to an AppleTV4 or iPad) to automate it.


The extra hub isn't even slightly a hassle. You just plug it into your router and be done. My whole house is Lutron'ed up with their HomeKit-compatible Caseta line. I have about 35 light switches/remotes and 8 shades. Works great with HomeKit and Siri, at home or abroad. So nice to be able to turn lights on and off via Siri, turn lights to different brightness levels, or even group lights together. For example, I say, "Hey Siri, turn on the Kitchen Area lights" and it will turn on my kitchen lights, bar lights, and under-cabinet lights.

It works flawlessly, really. This Eve light switch doesn't seem to have dimming capability on the switch, as it's just a switch. A little steeply priced if that's the case, and utterly pointless to a lot of people looking at the functionality. One would assume if you're looking for something like this you'd want dimming as well.

Now if only LiftMaster would release a HomeKit update for their MyQ garage doors...
Rating: 1 Votes
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dwaltwhit
44 months ago
this solves my kitchen light issue. Its a fluorescent (long tube) type light fixture.
Rating: 1 Votes
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