Eve has been a big player in the Matter smart home initiative from Day 1 and so it’s no surprise that it has stolen the march on a category that is currently sans-Matter by launching the Eve Energy Outlet.
A Matter-over-Thread plug outlet, it will be the first in-wall smart power to boast Matter when it goes on sale in February next year.
Unlike a regular smart plug (of which there are many boasting Matter including the excellent Meross Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini) the Eve Energy Outlet replaces your in-wall outlet, so will require a bit of DIY and wiring knowledge to get set up.
But once you’ve done that you then have a pair of smart power options, without the need for bulky smart plugs, for a pretty reasonable $49.95.
If you use the Eve Energy App on iOS via HomeKit or SmartThings you also get access to energy monitoring as well.
Because it’s Matter, it will also work with the likes of Google Home or Amazon Alexa but you won’t get access to the energy monitoring, just the usual smarts such as voice control, scheduling and including in routines and automations.
You’ll need a Thread border router and a Matter controller but the chances are you’ve already got one; the likes of the Apple HomePod Mini, Amazon Echo and SmartThings Hub will all do the job – check out our guide to Matter devices and controllers to find out more.
The Energy Outlet is joined by a Matter-flavored version of the Eve Light Switch, which lets you use existing wiring to convert any single or multi-bulb setup into a smart lighting system.
Also a Matter-over-Thread device, the newest-gen Eve Light Switch will offer this out of the box but the good news is that the previous-gen Eve Light Switch, which works using Thread, will also get a Matter update too.
This will all happen in Q2 of next year, the new Light Switch will cost $49.95.
The final bit of Eve news from the launch bonanza is that it will start taking orders and selling bespoke versions of smart blinds powered by Eve MotionBlinds tech, which it’s calling the Eve Blinds Collection.
Launching on 1 February in the US and Germany, these Matter-enabled smart blinds will be available in semi-transparent and blackout options.
