Eve is teeing up yet another Matter-ready product, with the manufacturer revealing a new version of its portable smart lamp that adds a Matter-friendly Thread radio.
The second-generation Eve Flare is now on sale for $99.95, according to Eve Systems, which also just announced a roller-shutter controller for “select” European markets. Like the Eve Flare, the Eve Shutter Switch will work with Matter following a firmware update.
This news story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart light bulbs.
The revamped Eve Flare has the same globe-shaped design as the first-gen Flare, which was released back in 2019.
Promising up to six hours of battery life, the rechargeable Flare has a flat base that allows it to sit on a table, countertop, or another flat surface.
The Flare’s IP65-rated shell should make it completely resistant to dust ingress, as well as resistant to low-pressure water jets sprayed from any angle. In other words, the Flare should fare just fine in windy, raining, and snowy conditions.
The second-gen Eve Flare has an IP65 rating, making it safe for outdoor use.
Eve Systems
Like its predecessor, the second-gen Flare works with Apple HomeKit, and it can shine in a variety of pre-set colors or you can mix your own hues with the Eve app.
The big change with the second-generation Flare is its support for Thread, a low-power, low-latency wireless protocol. Thread is also one of the pillars of Matter, the new standard that allows the big smart-home ecosystems–including Amazon’s Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings–to work together.
The Eve Flare won’t work with Matter out of the box, which means the light will (initially) only work with Apple HomeKit. Setup will require a Thread-enabled Apple HomePod, HomePod mini, or Apple TV 4K.
But once it’s updated with Matter via a slated software patch, the Flare will work with Alexa, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings, as well as HomeKit.
The Flare also offers Bluetooth connectivity, good for when the lamp is out of Thread range.
Besides the Flare, Eve also announced the Eve Shutter Switch, a two-button switch with the ability to store your geographic location, the date, and the orientation of the window on the device itself.
Like the Eve Flare, the Eve Shutter Switch has a Thread radio, and it will soon receive a Matter update.
Eve Systems
By just holding your iPhone against the window pane, the Eve app can determine the direction in which the window faces the sun, and the switch can then “automatically and dynamically” raise or lower your shutters depending on the sun’s position.
Of course, you can also adjust your window shutters manually by pressing one of the buttons on the switch or using the Eve app.
Similar to the Eve Flare, the Eve Shutter Switch arrives with a Thread radio, and it will work with Matter once Eve drops the necessary firmware update.
Besides Thread, the Shutter Switch works with Bluetooth, and a neutral wire is required for installation.
The Eve Shutter Switch is on sale now in “select” European countries for €99.95.
Author: Ben Patterson, Senior Writer
Ben has been writing about technology and consumer electronics for more than 20 years. A PCWorld contributor since 2014, Ben joined TechHive in 2019, where he covers smart speakers, soundbars, and other smart and home-theater devices. You can follow Ben on Twitter.