Amazon-owned Ring is entering the smart lock market with a new $249 device featuring a manual 'Power Dial' to fix battery failure issues. Scheduled for a Q1 2027 release, this expansion aims to deepen Amazon's smart home footprint, though it faces regulatory hurdles and rising competition from rivals like Apple and LG.
Amazon-owned Ring has announced its entry into the smart lock market, unveiling a new device priced at $249. The key innovation is a manual 'Power Dial,' a hand-crank feature designed to allow users to generate power and unlock their doors if the device's battery fails. This feature aims to address a common frustration among smart home users who fear being locked out of their homes due to unexpected power depletion.
The new lock includes multiple access methods, such as a fingerprint reader, a touchscreen keypad, and integration with Alexa and the Ring mobile app. By incorporating Amazon Sidewalk, the device aims to operate more independently from standard home Wi-Fi networks, which is a strategic effort to ensure connectivity stability. For Amazon, this product is part of a broader strategy to increase user reliance on its smart home ecosystem, which already includes its security cameras and Echo devices.
The move comes as competition in the smart home security sector intensifies. Recent industry reports suggest that other major technology companies, including Apple and LG, are developing their own collaborative smart home hardware, which could challenge Amazon's current market position. While Ring is well-established in the camera market, this is its first foray into smart locks, creating a new product category but also introducing new complexities in hardware reliability and consumer trust.
Investors may monitor several factors moving forward. The product is currently awaiting FCC authorization, which is a legal requirement for sales in the United States, with a planned launch in the first quarter of 2027. Additionally, the reliance on the Amazon Sidewalk network may draw scrutiny from privacy advocates or potential customers concerned about data sharing and network density in their specific areas. The company’s ability to successfully scale this new product category while managing competitive pressure from tech rivals will be an important development to watch in the coming quarters.