Ring Goes All-In On 4K With New Retinal Vision And AI Smarts

Ring Goes All-In On 4K With New Retinal Vision And AI Smarts
Source: Forbes

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It's not just new Echo smart speakers coming our way; Amazon also used its Fall Hardware launch event to give its Ring doorbells and cameras a major refresh.

The event saw the announcement of a new generation of devices that finally bring 4K recording to the mix, as well as sharper 2K models and a handful of AI tricks too.

The revamped Ring lineup includes upgrades to familiar models and entirely new devices too.

At the upper end, there's the Wired Doorbell Pro, Outdoor Cam Pro, Floodlight Cam Pro, and a refreshed Spotlight Cam Pro.

Power over Ethernet versions of the Outdoor Cam Pro, Spotlight Cam Pro, and Wired Doorbell Elite have also all been announced.

At the entry level, you've got the Indoor Cam Plus, which costs less than $60/£50 but still boasts the new Ring Retinal Vision.

Retinal Vision is a mix of 2K and 4K sensors with AI-driven processing that tunes every frame for clarity, color, and sharpness.

In practice, that should mean better low-light performance, up to 10x zoom, and what Ring claims is video that's closer to "seeing with your own eyes." Adaptive Night Vision and Low-Light Sight are part of the package too, giving you clearer color views in darker conditions.

The 4K models - Wired Doorbell Pro, Floodlight Cam Pro, Outdoor Cam Pro, and Spotlight Cam Pro - are the headline grabbers, pushing Ring into UHD territory for the first time.

Meanwhile, the new 2K models - Indoor Cam Plus and Wired Doorbell Plus - aim to bring some of those benefits down to a more affordable tier.

Ring is also layering in new AI features, including Smart Video Descriptions (already announced earlier this year) and something new: Familiar Faces. As the name suggests, the system can recognize friends or family you've registered and tell you who's at the door or flag if it's someone unknown.

This isn't a groundbreaking idea; there are plenty of brands already offering something similar, but Ring users will welcome the upgrade.

Alexa is also getting more proactive on Ring with Alexa+; the AI-pumped digital assistant mode will let your doorbell hold conversations on your behalf. Think screening a salesperson, handling a delivery, or passing on instructions without you ever opening the app.

Search Party, another new feature announced as part of the bumper launch, is designed for pet owners. If someone nearby reports a missing dog through the Ring app, local cameras will start scanning footage with AI to look for matches.

Dogs are first up when the feature rolls out in November, with cats and other pets joining later. It's a great idea if it works.

Every new device is up for preorder today, with shipping set to begin later this month. Search Party arrives in November, while Familiar Faces and Alexa+ Greetings will go live in December.

Pricing is as follows:

  • US: Indoor Cam Plus $59.99, Wired Doorbell Plus $179.99, Wired Doorbell Pro $249.99, Outdoor Cam Pro $199.99, Floodlight Cam Pro $279.99, Spotlight Cam Pro $249.99. PoE versions: Outdoor Cam Pro $299.98, Spotlight Cam Pro $349.98, Wired Doorbell Elite $499.99.
  • UK: Indoor Cam Plus £49.99, Wired Doorbell Plus £159.99, Wired Doorbell Pro £219.99, Outdoor Cam Pro £179.99, Floodlight Cam Pro £249.99, Spotlight Cam Pro £249.99. PoE versions: Outdoor Cam Pro £299.98, Spotlight Cam Pro £349.98, Wired Doorbell Elite £499.99.