Amazon has announced its first smart lock, the Ring Smart Lock, which is designed to let owners get back inside even if its rechargeable battery dies while they are away. Rather than relying on a physical backup key, the lock builds its emergency charging method into the thumb-turn dial. Amazon says turning the dial just a few times generates enough power to unlock the door, allowing the owner to enter and then fully recharge the battery.
The company has not said exactly how many turns are required. Competing smart locks typically use hidden USB ports or metal contacts that accept a 9-volt battery when power runs out. The Ring Smart Lock instead puts the charging mechanism directly into a part users already operate by hand.
Ring expects to sell the lock in the US in early 2027, pending FCC approval. It will come in black, silver, and brass finishes and will be priced at $249. Entry options include a fingerprint reader and a backlit touchscreen keypad. Multiple users can be registered, and owners can schedule when each person has access, including temporary codes that expire automatically after a set period.
The lock can be locked, unlocked, and monitored through the Ring mobile app. It also responds to voice commands through Alexa-compatible devices such as Echo smart speakers. No wiring is needed for installation because the lock runs on Ring's replaceable Quick Release Ultra Battery Pack. Instead of connecting over a home's Wi-Fi, it links wirelessly to other devices through Amazon's Sidewalk network, which is described as low-power, low-bandwidth, and long-range. With adequate Sidewalk coverage, Wi-Fi outages would not block remote access or entry alerts.
Because the Ring Smart Lock does not include a camera, buyers who want to see who is at the door must pair it with a smart doorbell or one of five new Ring security cameras. Those cameras expand Amazon's "Retinal Vision 4K" lineup that first appeared a year ago. Preorders opened for the $149.99 Outdoor Cam 4K Plus, offered in battery, wired, solar, and PoE versions, along with the $199.99 Spotlight Cam 4K Plus with its 550-lumen deterrent light and the $219.99 Floodlight Cam 4K Plus, which provides 24/7 recording with smart subject detection.
Ring's first indoor Retinal 4K camera requires no wait. The $99.99 Indoor Cam 4K is available today and offers a 115-degree field of view plus a shutter that physically covers the camera when privacy is wanted. Amazon also introduced a lower-tier 2K indoor model, the $69.99 Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam 2K, which is on sale today. It uses computer vision-based motion detection to follow subjects such as pets, rotating a full 360 degrees and tilting 175 degrees, and it includes a physical privacy shutter that disables the camera and microphone when closed.
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