Eve Systems just launched the world's first Matter smart outlet, but what does it do?

You've probably heard of a smart plug. It's a wonderful invention that gives users full control over all plug-in devices, and can be a handy tool for lowering energy bills and usage. There are many different smart plugs available on the market, and they're not that expensive either. 

In a similar vein, smart home enthusiasts can also opt for a smart outlet. The difference between a smart outlet and a smart plug is that smart outlets are built into the walls of your home, whereas smart plugs are inserted into a 'normal' outlet. Smart outlets aren't as common as smart plugs, so this latest pieces of news is rather exciting. 

Only yesterday, it was announced that Eve Systems, known for the impressive Eve Energy smart plug, has launched the Eve Energy Outlet. It's the world's first Matter-enabled smart outlet, meaning it can work alongside with Apple Home, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings and many other Matter-compatible devices. It also uses the Thread wireless protocol and doesn’t require a cloud connection, just like all Eve devices. 

It must be noted that whilst the outlet will work with any Matter-compatible device, it won't be able to provide energy monitoring through these devices. Instead, the energy monitoring feature will only be available through the Eve app or the Samsung SmartThings app. This is due to Matter not supporting energy monitoring yet. Anyways, on to the interesting stuff...

The smart outlet can support up to 1800 Watts and features two individual outlets that can be switched and automated respectively. This actually works out as much better value than the Eve Energy smart plug, which only has one outlet. The Eve Energy Outlet will be available from the Eve website and Amazon for $49.95, from 6th February 2024. 

In the same release, the company has also launched its own smart blinds collection that work over Thread, as well as a Matter-enabled version of its smart light switch that will be available in 2024 for $49.95.