Ring's home security lineup just got a little more impressive, thanks to the introduction of a new smart feature heading to the brand's video doorbells and cameras.
Launching today (March 27) in the Australian and New Zealand markets, the home security brand has rolled out Smart Video Search, a new text-to-image app search that promises to help you find specific footage, faster. Powered by Ring IQ — a combination of in-house tech and Ring-developed AI — Smart Video Search scours footage using key terms to identify specific moments.
Using visual language modelling (VLM), the software matches user-input text to images in their footage history. Customers will be able to search questions relating to animals, locations, packages, people, time, vehicles, weather, and activities such as jumping, running or bike riding.
So rather than wondering why the bins were knocked over or who threw your package over the fence, you can just chuck a couple of words into your Ring app and hey presto, that video from last Thursday is ready for viewing.
Ring's APAC MD, Mark Fletcher, says the new feature adds to the current person, pet and package alerts that help users manage their home, "but historically, finding a specific moment can take more time than you might have".
"With Smart Video Search, you can now quickly find something you’re looking for — and even some surprising moments — giving you a better sense of what’s happening around your home," Fletcher added.
Smart Video Search is available in public beta today in Australia and New Zealand, and can be used across all Ring devices, including older models. The feature has launched alongside new Ring 2K outdoor cameras, available in black or white for AU$179 on Amazon.
Is Smart Video Search actually worth it?
Frankly, I'm a fan of this new feature. It could be particularly useful in situations like checking when exactly a package was delivered or how your pets got into a sticky situation when you're away.
I've found myself trawling through my saved footage time and time again to check in on my pets, trying to find when they got up to mischief, but to no avail. Searching through motion alerts can be tough, as I've found it can be ultimately time-consuming to dig through every "dog barking" or "person detected" notification I receive. In terms of simplicity, searching key terms like "black dog barking at cat" or "bin falling in kitchen" would save me and many other Ring users a plethora of time (and brain power).
However, there are a few caveats that would still prevent me from investing personally in this new video search feature or a paid Ring subscription plan for that matter. For starters, this new feature is exclusive to the Ring Premium subscription plan, which costs a whopping AU$29.95p/m or AU$299.95p/y.
The plan features 180 days of video history (which is accessible for all paid Ring subscriptions), person, package and pet alerts, opt-in 24/7 recording, and continuous live view across all connected Ring devices. Comparatively, the entry-level, basic Ring plan costs AU$4.95p/m, but only offers saved footage history and alerts.
If you purchase a Ring camera, you'll get a free 30-day subscription for Ring's standard plan, allowing you to download, rewatch and check old footage for the first month of owning the camera. After that time, you can forego a subscription or choose from Ring's pricey plan offerings. It's not off-brand for Ring to add a feature that is exclusive to the highest sub, considering most users need to pay to keep tabs on their footage history.
Now, without a paid subscription, users can access their Ring camera footage live through the app without cloud saving. This is mildly alarming as Ring devices don't come cheap, costing customers AU$99 and up for a single indoor camera. But, if saving six months of footage comes at a AU$30p/m cost, it's not something I'd cash in every month. While it's a nice bonus to have a smart video search feature, I don't think anyone should have to pay to keep their camera footage, especially if you've already purchased the safety net of a home security system.
Ring's latest VLM feature is only available in beta right now, making it an optional feature to try for Premium subscribers. After getting hands-on with the new software at a Ring event, the company confirmed its beta rollout is primarily to seek feedback from consumers and to finetune the experience.
Considering the feature is fresh for consumers, and competitors like TP-Link haven't jumped on the bandwagon, users have yet to rate the new software. Of course, we'll keep you posted on how this pans out for Ring subscribers in due course.
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