Eve today announced that it is bringing its popular Thread-enabled version of the Eve Energy to the United States, debuting the new Eve Weather with Thread and introducing Thread firmware for the second-generation Eve Aqua. Eve has been investing in Thread like other HomeKit accessory makers, and has now unveiled several Thread-powered devices.
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As an always-on device, the Eve Energy US with Thread can serve as a router within a Thread network, adding stability and improved reach throughout the home. For those unfamiliar with Thread, it's a mesh network that lets smart home products better communicate with one another.
Eve's Thread devices integrate with other Thread products like the HomePod mini, and each one strengthens and improves a connected home network. The Eve Energy will launch on April 6 and it will be priced at $40.
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The Eve Weather with Thread is designed to track local outdoor temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure, either on the iPhone or on the device itself, which has a small display to relay weather information. The Eve app aggregates current and past climate data, and it is HomeKit compatible so the weather data can be relayed via Siri. The Eve Weather will launch on March 25 and it will be priced at $70.
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Eve is also bringing Thread support to the second-generation Eve Aqua smart water controller, which is priced at $100. As an accessory meant to operate outside the home to monitor yard water usage, the Eve Aqua will benefit from the increased range added through Thread. Eve Aqua will gain Thread support in April 2021.
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They allow for custom etched or standard key caps, making it easy to know what the switch controls. Each button has an LED behind it, so it can also be used as a state display - either for a device controlled by the switch or just something with a binary state (like alarm armed).
It would make it easier to use HomeKit smart bulbs and plugs, as they could easily be controlled by switches without requiring that I use the Home app or talk to Siri. It would also allow someone not in your HomeKit control group to easily turn things on or off.
For those who don't know, Stuart has been at Apple for 30+ yrs now, and throughout that time his constant mission has been to make Apple networking better and IP networking better. Many of his initiatives (like Bonjour/ZeroConf) have taken years and years to pay off (not least because there are so many companies willing to save a dollar at the cost of perpetual customer hassle, and so many people willing to excuse this behavior).
But the point is, Stuart has strong ideas about how networking should be easier, more reliable, and should just work; and will do whatever he can to ensure that that's part of the vision of Thread and Apple's implementations of it.