Amazon has announced a series of changes to its subscription plans for Ring, its popular range of video doorbells and home security cameras, aimed at enhancing the service and introducing new features.
The revamped offerings, set to launch in the United States on 5th November, will include a new tier called Ring Home Premium, priced at $19.99 per month, which will offer 24/7 video recording and a smart video search tool, among other upgrades.
More affordable plans such as Ring Home Standard and Ring Home Basic will also be available, though they won’t include round-the-clock recording or advanced search capabilities.
This is a new phase for Ring, which has become a big innovator in the home security market under its CEO Liz Hamren, a former Microsoft executive.
The company, which was acquired by Amazon for $1 billion six years ago, is now the second-largest provider of security systems in the U.S., according to research firm Parks Associates. Hamren recently confirmed that Ring has turned a profit for the first time.
The new subscription tiers bring with them a number of changes. For example, Ring Home Basic, which replaces the old Ring Protect Basic, will cost $4.99 per month, while Ring Home Standard, which takes the place of Ring Protect Plus, will be available for $9.99 per month.
Amazon customers who opt for Ring Home Premium will gain access to features like AI-driven search functions, which allow users to locate specific moments in video footage by entering text queries into the Ring app.
However, the new plans also mean that some customers will lose access to certain features. Those currently subscribed to Ring Protect Pro, for instance, will no longer have access to local video storage or internet backup.
The headline feature of Ring Home Premium is the introduction of Smart Video Search, a tool that allows users to search recorded footage for particular moments or events. Users can input queries such as “dog in the garden” or “red bicycle in the driveway” to locate relevant clips.
Currently in public beta, the feature is available for a limited set of search categories, including animals, locations, and people. Amazon has stated that the system has been designed to filter out offensive or harmful search terms and is continually being refined.
However, the launch of this AI-powered feature comes against the backdrop of issues over possible biases in such systems. A recent study by MIT revealed that AI models could disproportionately flag activities in minority communities.
While Ring has stated its focus on user privacy and ethical AI development, these issues remain a topic of ongoing discussion within the industry.
Despite these challenges, the new plans show a change in focus for Ring, which is moving away from its previous emphasis on crime prevention towards offering more user-friendly, lifestyle-oriented features.
For example, Ring’s marketing now highlights heartwarming moments involving pets and children, a far cry from its earlier “tough-on-crime” messaging.
Ring has plans to expand its offerings beyond homes. In 2025, it aims to introduce a subscription plan specifically targeting small and medium-sized businesses, enabling them to monitor multiple locations more effectively.
The Smart Video Search feature, while still in development, comes with enhanced functionality, providing users with a more intuitive way to sift through large amounts of footage.
However, early reviews of the system have pointed out its limitations, with some search queries returning unexpected or incorrect results.
Peter Oluka