More and more products are slowly being unveiled that have Thread support, with Eve considered at the forefront of this new direction. While nearly all of their formerly Bluetooth-enabled products have now been updated for Thread support, one device, which previously had Thread support added via a firmware update, has now also received a ‘facelift’, namely the Eve Aqua.
the third generation of the Eve Aqua follows in the footsteps of some of its other product line, with a rounded-off square black plastic shape, encompassed by an aluminum frame, much like the Eve Room, Eve Weather, and the Eve Button, which is incidentally the last of the holdouts for a Thread update (not counting their WiFi products). The new design is supported by a new magnetic valve, that claims to be “quiet, fast and reliable”, whilst also featuring a new brass connector to replace the previous plastic ones that were reportedly quite unreliable.
Eve Aqua – Gen 2 vs. generation 3
The new design also has a flattened front section, as opposed to the bulbous front of the previous generations, whilst increasing the size of the power button. The new Eve Aqua still uses two AA batteries, and as such is only a Thread end device, meaning whilst it can be part of the Thread network, it is unable to help extend that network, as only powered Thread devices are capable of this function . And as it’s designed for outdoor use, it’s also both IPX4 rated, and contains UV protection for the plastic, to minimize sunlight damage.
The new Eve Aqua is available from Eve’s own website, priced at US$149.95 or €149.96 in Germany.