Eye Systems has announced some new smart home devices with Thread protocol support, including a weather station. It also announced a firmware update for its smart water sprinkler which will add Thread support to it.
Smart Plug and Weather Station with Thread Protocol Support
Eve announced the new products in an update on evehome.com.
The new products include an updated version of the Eve Energy smart plug and an outdoor weather station called Eve Weather. Additionally, Eve announced a firmware update for the 2nd generation Eve Aqua which will add Thread support in early April.
Apart from Thread support, the products are also HomeKit-compatible. In fact, all the smart home products launched by Eve so far are only compatible with Apple's HomeKit, but lack Alexa and Google Assistant integration.
Eve had already added Thread support to its EU-compatible Eve Energy smart plugs. Now, it is expanding the availability of the same plug to the US and UK but with compatible power plugs. The 2nd-generation Eve Energy will launch on April 6, 2021, for $39.95. You can buy it from Eve's website.
Since the Eve Energy smart plug has constant power access, it can act as a Thread border router allowing other Thread accessories to connect to the internet.
"Smart, sleek and of proven quality, a Thread-enabled Eve Energy is the definitive accessory for the HomePod mini," says Jerome Gackel, CEO of Eve Systems. "A handful of Eve Energy, added to your Home within seconds, will span an ultra-robust, ultra-responsive and ultra-efficient mesh network across your entire house – without needing a bridge."
The Eve Weather is an IPX3 certified weather station. You can use it to track your local outdoor temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure. This data can be viewed directly on the Eve Weather's monochrome display or by using the Eve app for iOS.
The Weather station is powered by a coin cell battery which Eve claims is good enough to last anywhere between six months to a year. The weather station is priced at $69.95, and it will be available in the US and Canada starting March 26, 2021.
With the addition of these three products, Eve now has seven consumer products with Thread support---the largest of any smart home brand.
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What Is the Thread Protocol?
Developed for smart home products, the Thread protocol is used to improve connectivity between accessories. Thread creates a mesh network that allows all smart home products like lights, thermostats, outlets, and sensors to communicate directly without a central hub.
Thread has been designed to replace other smart home protocols like Z-Wave and Zigbee. It claims to offer longer battery life, faster response time, and a more reliable connection. Another benefit of this approach is that you can control all Thread-compatible products even if your Wi-Fi network is down.
While the Thread mesh network helps with data communication between other Thread-compatible accessories, you will still need a Thread border router to ensure that these accessories can talk to the internet.
A Thread border router is basically a device that can connect the Thread network to the internet. Apple's HomePod mini is among the first major consumer devices to support this protocol. With Thread support, the HomePod mini can act as a bridge to connect Thread-compatible smart home devices to the internet.
Image Credit: Eve