Amazon Revamps Ring Subscription Services
- 10/10/2024 14:34 PM
Amazon is set to transform its subscription offerings for Ring video doorbells and cameras, with the launch of a new service called Ring Home Premium. Scheduled to debut on November 5 in the U.S., this premium tier will feature 24/7 recording and AI-powered video search, starting at $19.99 per month. For users looking for more economical options, Amazon will also offer Ring Home Standard and Ring Home Basic tiers, which will include various features but exclude continuous recording and enhanced search capabilities.
This revamp comes during a period of growth for Ring under the leadership of Liz Hamren, the newly appointed CEO and former Microsoft executive. Recently, Ring has ascended to become the second-largest seller of security systems in the U.S., achieving profitability for the first time since Amazon acquired the company for $1 billion six years ago.
New Subscription Tiers Explained
The existing Ring Protect Basic plan will transition to Ring Home Basic at $4.99 per month, while Ring Protect Plus will evolve into Ring Home Standard at $9.99 per month. Customers can also choose between Ring Home Standard with alarm professional monitoring or the comprehensive Ring Home Premium.
All subscribers will benefit from features such as person and package alerts, video preview alerts (short GIF previews of camera activity), and 180 days of video event history. Those on the Ring Home Standard plan will have access to an extended live view, allowing video stream viewing for up to 30 minutes, while both the Standard and Premium tiers will include doorbell calls, notifications similar to phone calls when a visitor rings the doorbell.
Mixed Reactions to Subscription Changes
However, the changes have sparked mixed reactions among Ring users. Customers currently subscribed to Ring Protect Pro will lose features such as local video storage, internet backup, and access to Amazon’s Eero Secure suite as of November 5. Furthermore, those without a Ring Alarm or Ring Alarm Pro will forfeit SOS emergency response, which is part of the alarm monitoring service.
Many of these features, alongside new monitoring capabilities from Amazon’s Astro household robot, will now only be available through Ring Home Premium.
For new customers with a Ring Alarm or Ring Alarm Pro, Amazon will introduce a charge of $10 per month for alarm professional monitoring after November 5. While Ring Home Premium includes SOS emergency response, it does not cover alarm monitoring. Current Ring Protect Pro subscribers enrolled in Virtual Security Guard, Amazon's $99-per-month corporate security plan, will continue to receive this service at no additional charge.
Ring Alarm and Alarm Pro owners who signed up for Ring Protect Plus in 2021 or earlier will automatically transition to Ring Home Standard with alarm professional monitoring starting March 1, 2025. This change effectively doubles the subscription cost for these customers, raising it from $10 to $19.99 per month. However, Amazon allows users to cancel the monitoring add-on before this change takes effect.
To alleviate the transition, existing Ring Protect Pro customers will receive a one-year trial of Ring Home Premium with alarm monitoring. Once the trial ends, they will have to pay the full price, which totals $29.99 per month.
Introducing AI-Powered Smart Video Search
One of the standout features of Ring Home Premium is Smart Video Search, designed to help users quickly locate specific moments in their recorded footage. Rolling out to select customers in public beta, this feature allows users to input queries into the Ring app to find significant events.
As explained by Eric Kuhn, Amazon GM of Ring experiences, users might ask for footage of a “raccoon in the backyard last night” or search for videos of a “red bicycle in the driveway,” helping them recall special moments like teaching a child to ride a bike.
Initially, Smart Video Search will support queries related to animals, locations, packages, people, time, vehicles, weather, and specific activities like running or playing. Amazon emphasizes that safeguards are in place to block searches for potentially harmful content, although it remains unclear how the company plans to address any biases in the AI models used for this feature.
A recent MIT study highlighted concerns regarding commercial AI models, noting that they tend to suggest police involvement disproportionately in footage from minority neighborhoods compared to predominantly white areas. In light of this, Kuhn reassured that Ring is committed to both privacy and responsible AI development, emphasizing the importance of customer feedback.
Competitive Landscape and Future Outlook
The rollout of Smart Video Search comes at a critical time, coinciding with Google’s upcoming AI enhancements for its Nest cameras and doorbells, which promise advanced captioning and natural-language search functionalities.
As Amazon refines its Ring subscription offerings and incorporates AI-driven features, the company positions itself not just as a leader in home security but also as an innovator in AI technology, enhancing user experience while addressing critical privacy and ethical considerations.
The new subscription plans and features represent a significant evolution in Ring's service offerings, marking an exciting chapter in the company's journey toward becoming a leader in the smart home security market.
