After years as an Apple-only smart home company, Eve is finally changing dark other Rooting and launching an Android app. At the IFA tech show, the company announced that its suite of smart home products — which include smart plugs, smart light strips, smart switches and smart sensors — will get their own Android app in late 2022. Most Eve products will also become compatible. With other smart home systems including Amazon Alexa, Google Home and Samsung SmartThings.

This huge change (that we did CES. see coming inBut still, we have to see it to believe it) is largely down to Upcoming Smart Home Standards Matter, case primary raison d’etre More devices have to work with more platforms, eliminating the confusion and chaos that dominates today’s smart home.

When Matter arrives this fall, Eve’s products should work with any Matter-compatible ecosystem without the need for a cloud-to-cloud connection. Amazon, Google and Samsung are all committed to making their platforms matter-compatible. Those platforms’ reliance on the cloud previously kept Eve from working with them, with the company preferring to stick with a system that processed all device data locally — Apple’s HomeKit.

Since Matter’s announcement, Eve has been working on replacing all of its relevant smart home products with Bluetooth-only Thread Radios. Thread is one of the main protocols of Matter. The company says that its Thread-enabled devices will start receiving free over-the-air firmware updates for the standard, which will make them compatible with those other platforms.

Image: Eve

This week Eve also announced the Eve Light Switch with Thread for North America ($49.95), an upgrade to one of its last remaining Bluetooth-only products. Eve Flair Portable Lamp It’s the only device it still sells that works entirely over Bluetooth.

The third generation of the Eve Light Switch is a smart light switch (but not a dimmer switch) that can control standard LED lights, allowing you to pair your lights with motion sensors, set them on a schedule, or The program can set the lighting scenes. Unlike its predecessor, which was a single-pole switch, the third-gen model is compatible with a three-way switch – where two light switches control one light. It requires a neutral wire, and should be available in October.

Along with Light Switch, Eve announced new versions of its Eve Motion Blinds Smart Shades, with motors for Venetian blinds (Europe only) and Honeycomb shades joining its existing Roller Shades motor. Colors are custom ordered from companies such as choose blind, and come with Eve’s thread-able motors inside. An Eve shutter switch is also coming to the European market in December. The 99.95 Euro switch will operate on thread and can replace the in-wall roller shutter switch.

Image: Eve

Eve also announced a white model Eve Outdoor Cam ($249.95) Coming in December. Black version my . Is Apple HomeKit Pick for Best Smart Floodlight Camera, The Eve’s cameras work over Wi-Fi, and since smart security cameras aren’t part of Matter yet, they’ll likely only continue to work with Apple Home’s HomeKit secure video service.

So while Eve’s cameras will remain on Apple, for now, the rest of its smart home products will soon party to Android as well. A smart home company launching an Android app may sound modest, but it’s almost like Apple announcing that the Apple Watch will work with Android — so tied to Apple. This is one of the signs we need to point out what is actually happening towards Matter. As fall is fast approaching (yes, it’s actually September now), it’s time to expect some solid evidence that matter is all we believe it to be.