FCC filing reveals HomeKit-enabled Eve Weather with Thread support

AppleInsider

Eve is preparing to launch a weather-monitoring device with HomeKit support, FCC filings reveal, one which will include support for Thread, a connectivity option built into the HomePod mini.

FCC filings published on Thursday revealed an unreleased device called Eve Weather, a device designed to monitor the environment and to provide data on various elements. Seemingly a major upgraded version of the Eve Degree, the Eve Weather appears to update the design of the compact weather station, as well as its functionality.

Supporting documentation in the filing reveal the device is quite similar to its predecessor in terms of design, with it consisting of a square puck with a large screen on the front for displaying the temperature, humidity, and weather trend. It also has IPX3 water resistance, making it usable outdoors and able to withstand light rain.

The manual mentions the ability to connect the device to a HomeKit network using the Eve for HomeKit companion app, which will allow HomeKit and Siri to perform queries and functions based on the humidity and temperature it detects. This includes setting up automations using the temperature or humidity, which could feasibly trigger other devices into action in certain situations.

One of the big changes is also the smallest update in the manual, namely a reference to the use of Thread. A new IP-based smart home connectivity standard, Thread lets embedded devices create a separate mesh network, expanding the reach of the smart home network beyond a device's typical Wi-Fi or Bluetooth range, and without requiring a bridge.

In the case of Apple's hardware, only the HomePod mini currently has Thread connectivity. Since the HomePod can be used as a base for a HomeKit network, this means the HomePod mini can enable Thread to be used within HomeKit.

Eve has yet to officially announce the Eve Weather, but the presence in FCC filings suggests a launch could be on the way very soon.

Eve Systems has been working to roll out Thread support to other devices, with updates at the end of 2020 adding support to the Eve Door & Window. Other manufacturers like Nanoleaf are also incorporating Thread into their smart home products, to take advantage of the technology's potential benefits.

mobird

When is Apple going to push out an update to the original HomePod to enable this feature? I understand that the original HomePods can be updated to enable Thread.
Come on Apple, throw us original HomePod BETA Testers a bone...

Andrew_OSU

mobird said:

When is Apple going to push out an update to the original HomePod to enable this feature? I understand that the original HomePods can be updated to enable Thread.
Come on Apple, throw us original HomePod BETA Testers a bone...

I’m not so sure that Thread can be enabled on the original HomePod. It does require a specific chip that supports the technology. It is possible, but I don’t think it is likely. I can imagine an updated HomePod releasing soon to support it however, alongside the U1 chip.

Naiyas

The current Eve Degree already monitors temperature, humidity, and air pressure and saves these measurements 144 times per day and can be placed outside. I have several located around my property (outside and inside) for monitoring. Thread would be a nice addition, though as an end-point device it is of fairly limited benefit today, but good for future proofing.

A few improvements I would like to see are:

1. Rechargeable battery (similar to the Eve Room 2) so we can eliminate the use of single use button batteries;
2. Like 1 above, provide the option to have it permanently powered so that full thread support could be enabled (when powered); and
3. A way to automatically export the measurements from the Eve devices - I collate a whole heap of information and history for measuring my home energy use and environment - now the Eve Home App is on M1 Mac's this should be a fairly simple enhancement to add into the App.

Sensor wise, the items I would like to have (but not necessarily in this one device) are:

1. Air pollution level sensor, similar to the Air Quality on the Eve Room, but for use outside;
2. Pollen level sensor; and
3. Noise / dB sensor.

Netatmo has a good suite of weather monitoring devices but very few are integrated into HomeKit and the ability to export is restricted too.

Andrew_OSU

Naiyas said:

The current Eve Degree already monitors temperature, humidity, and air pressure and saves these measurements 144 times per day and can be placed outside. I have several located around my property (outside and inside) for monitoring. Thread would be a nice addition, though as an end-point device it is of fairly limited benefit today, but good for future proofing.

A few improvements I would like to see are:

1. Rechargeable battery (similar to the Eve Room 2) so we can eliminate the use of single use button batteries;
2. Like 1 above, provide the option to have it permanently powered so that full thread support could be enabled (when powered); and
3. A way to automatically export the measurements from the Eve devices - I collate a whole heap of information and history for measuring my home energy use and environment - now the Eve Home App is on M1 Mac's this should be a fairly simple enhancement to add into the App.

Sensor wise, the items I would like to have (but not necessarily in this one device) are:

1. Air pollution level sensor, similar to the Air Quality on the Eve Room, but for use outside;
2. Pollen level sensor; and
3. Noise / dB sensor.

Netatmo has a good suite of weather monitoring devices but very few are integrated into HomeKit and the ability to export is restricted too.

So the Eve Weather looks like it will still batteries. My understanding is that it needs to have a sealed battery compartment for water resistance versus a plug like the Eve Room 2. 
You also can already export your Eve data. For any of the Eve devices you already have you can export them to a spreadsheet for further analysis whenever you’d like from the Eve app.

I agree some of those would be useful on a new device but I dont think we will see them this time around. I haven’t seen a pollen level sensor and that certainly isnt available in HomeKit. As a HomeKit-only company, Apple would have to add pollen before Eve would. The decibel sensor is certainly plausible but I see limited usage on an outside device. That does work with HomeKit though so would be plausible later, especially on an indoor device.

As far as air quality, I agree I’d like to see that too so you are getting your own local air quality instead of relying on the official AQI. I think it is less likely as well though for a device meant to be outdoors as that AQI is so often used for larger areas.

Naiyas

Andrew_OSU said:

Naiyas said:

So the Eve Weather looks like it will still batteries. My understanding is that it needs to have a sealed battery compartment for water resistance versus a plug like the Eve Room 2. 
You also can already export your Eve data. For any of the Eve devices you already have you can export them to a spreadsheet for further analysis whenever you’d like from the Eve app.

I agree some of those would be useful on a new device but I dont think we will see them this time around. I haven’t seen a pollen level sensor and that certainly isnt available in HomeKit. As a HomeKit-only company, Apple would have to add pollen before Eve would. The decibel sensor is certainly plausible but I see limited usage on an outside device. That does work with HomeKit though so would be plausible later, especially on an indoor device.

As far as air quality, I agree I’d like to see that too so you are getting your own local air quality instead of relying on the official AQI. I think it is less likely as well though for a device meant to be outdoors as that AQI is so often used for larger areas.

With regard to rechargeable batteries in water resistant devices, my dive computer and a set of swimming headphones both have a rechargeable battery. One is charged via a 3 pin charge cradle, the other by a wireless charge cradle. Perhaps integrating a Qi charging coil would resolve the issue? Either way, it would reduce the battery waste generated from the sale of so many battery powered devices.

With regard to data export, I know there is an option to export each sensors data manually through the Eve app. However, with over 40 Eve sensors (and counting) it is a time consuming process to export it all and I would really like the ability to automate this process (AppleScript or Automator would be fine) so I can stream the data into a long term home monitoring database I use to analyse this data (Excel just won't cut it). By doing this I've been able to predict the failure of a fridge/freezer using Eve Energy (increased continuous energy use in the 2 weeks before it failed) and quantified the actual cost savings from increasing my loft insulation (comparing energy consumption against the temperature differential between the loft space and the rooms immediately below).

As someone that lives in a fairly big city, an indoor and outdoor decibel sensor will be very useful to help identify the level of noise reduction needed in a planned renovation. It would also be useful to know the dB levels throughout the day in order to get a good fix on noise patterns in our area. The same is true of air quality... it would be nice to have an idea of the air quality in our garden rather than in a much larger area.