Ring announces 4K doorbell with Alexa+ AI greetings and new Search Party feature for pets

Amazon's big fall hardware and services event is happening right now, and you can follow along with our Amazon event live blog. The company kicked things off by announcing shiny new Ring cameras with Retinal Vision technology. These cameras also feature Alexa+ greetings, the ability to identify familiar people, and a Search Party feature that helps locate missing dogs.

The new models include both 2K and 4K cameras, as well as video doorbells, so there's something for every household.

Ring Retinal 4K devices

Amazon has revealed several devices that support its new Ring Retinal 4K technology, which powers its most advanced cameras. The Wired Doorbell Pro, Spotlight Cam Pro, Floodlight Cam Pro and Outdoor Cam Pro are among the devices to feature Amazon's most vibrant video quality.

This is Ring's first batch of 4K devices, which the company says is useful for more than just making videos and images look better. In fact, this higher resolution captures critical details with lifelike precision, which means that if something happens, you can see the person or animal more clearly.

The Retinal Vision portion appears to be about more than just capturing 4K video. According to Ring, "it optimizes every step of the imaging process with advanced AI tuning." With 10x zoom and enhanced low-light performance, these devices should be able to capture everything happening within their field of view.

Alexa+ greetings

This sounds like a good use for Amazon's new AI-powered feature that transforms Alexa into a smart doorbell attendant. Let's say someone is soliciting at your house. In that case, Alexa+ can do the talking for you and ask the purpose of their visit. It'll keep you informed of what's happening the whole way, so you can decide if you want to talk to the person at the door or send them on their way (I never talk to door-to-door salespeople, so my answer would also be to "go away.")

With Alexa+, the Familiar Faces feature identifies familiar people, allowing you to reduce notifications triggered by their routine activities. This will reduce clutter and allow you to receive only the notifications that truly matter.

And finally, the new Search Party for dogs is an AI-powered community feature that enables the cameras to reunite lost dogs with their families. Using the Ring app, someone can report a lost dog, and nearby outdoor Ring cameras can start a Search Party using AI to find possible matches.

Ring Retinal 2K

Ring also revealed its Ring Retinal 2K tech, which is available in two new products, the Indoor Cam Plus and Wired Doorbell Plus. "Retinal 2K represents our commitment to continuous invention and pushing the boundaries of what's possible in home security. Every pixel matters when it comes to keeping your home safe," said Ring in a press release.

New Ring devices availability and pricing

As for pricing, with Ring's Retinal 2K devices, the Ring Wired Doorbell Pro costs $249.99 and the Wired Doorbell Plus will sell for $179.99.

The company's devices with Retinal 4K tech include the Outdoor Cam Pro at $199.99 for the regular version and $299.98 for the Power over Ethernet one.

The Spotlight Cam Pro is $249.99 for the regular model and $349.98 for the Power over Ethernet one.

Ring's Floodlight Cam Pro is $279.99, the Indoor Cam Plus goes for $59.99 and the Wired Doorbell Elite retails for $499.99.

All of the new devices are available for pre-order today but the cool new Search Party for dogs will start rolling out in November, followed by cats and other pets while Alexa+ Greetings and Familiar Faces will launch in December. So while you can get the devices now, some of the cool new selling points won't launch right away.

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