Amazon announced its first smart lock that eliminates the need for a physical backup key in case its rechargeable battery runs out while you’re away from home. While other smart locks rely on hidden USB ports or metal contacts to connect a 9-volt battery and recharge a dead battery, the new Ring Smart Lock incorporates a more convenient charger right into its rotary dial. Amazon doesn’t specify how many turns are needed, but says that just “a few turns” can generate enough power to unlock the door so you can access your home and fully recharge the lock’s battery.
The Ring Smart Lock is expected to be available in the US in early 2027 (pending FCC approval) and will be offered in black, silver, and brass finishes for $249. Unlocking options include a fingerprint reader and a backlit touch keypad with the option to register multiple users and schedule when they will have access to your home. This includes setting up temporary access codes that automatically expire after a set period of time. Ring Smart Lock can also be opened, locked and monitored using the Ring mobile app or controlled via voice commands through Alexa-compatible devices, such as Echo smart speakers.
Installation requires no wiring as the Smart Lock uses Ring’s replaceable quick-release Ultra battery pack, and instead of relying on your home Wi-Fi, the lock connects wirelessly to other devices using Amazon’s low-power, low-bandwidth, long-range Sidewalk network. Assuming you live somewhere with adequate Sidewalk coverage, you won’t have to worry about Wi-Fi outages preventing you from granting remote access or receiving alerts about who just entered your home.
The Ring Smart Lock doesn’t include a camera, so you’ll need to pair it with a smart doorbell to see who’s accessing your home or with one of five new Ring security cameras that expand Amazon’s collection of “Retinal Vision 4K” devices that first debuted a year ago. Starting today, you can pre-order the new $149.99 Outdoor Cam 4K Plus that’s available in battery, wired, solar, and PoE versions, the $199.99 Spotlight Cam 4K Plus with a 550-lumen deterrent light, and the $219.99 Floodlight Cam 4K Plus that can illuminate large spaces while offering 24/7 recording. week with intelligent subject detection. But you won’t have to wait for the first time. inside Ring Camera with Retina 4K. The $99.99 Indoor Cam 4K is available for purchase today and features a 115-degree field of view with a shutter that physically blocks the camera when privacy is needed.
In addition to all the new 4K options, Amazon is also introducing a new entry-level 2K indoor camera that’s available starting today for $69.99. Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam 2K uses “computer vision-based motion detection” to track subjects, such as pets, moving around a room. The camera can rotate a full 360 degrees while tilting 175 degrees to keep subjects in the frame, and like Ring’s new 4K indoor camera, the 2K version features a physical privacy shutter that disables both the camera and its microphone when closed.
