Credit: Unsplash
Turn your old intercom into a piece of smart tech.
Ring’s line of home security products, from smart doorbells to cameras, have proven popular with those living in traditional homes. However, as only regular homes have doorbells, they don’t have much application for those living in apartments. It’s for these folks that Ring has announced its new Ring Intercom.
The Ring Intercom is a battery-powered smart device that can be easily connected to most typical apartment intercom handsets. It’s a fairly straightforward device; when someone buzzes your apartment from the front door, rather than needing to use the regular headset, the Ring Intercom allows you to communicate with them and buzz them in through an app. There are no video or recording elements, it’s just a way to make your intercom a bit more convenient.
“There are tens of thousands of variations [on intercom systems],” Jamie Siminoff, founder and chief inventor of Ring, said in an interview with The Verge. “This is designed to work with over 90 percent of them. It took a lot of work to develop, and it has a ton of intelligence packed in it that decides what it’s been connected to, similar to how some smart thermostats work.”
Introducing Ring Intercom, the latest addition to our product lineup! Ring Intercom offers a new experience for those living in apartments, so you can stay connected to your apartment, wherever you are. pic.twitter.com/GWcrKdDeTm
— Ring UK (@ring_uk) September 1, 2022
Since intercom-equipped apartments are a more common sight in European countries than in the United States, Ring is planning to roll the Intercom out in Europe first, with a US release to follow if all goes well. The device will be available first in the UK and Germany for £119.99, with preorders starting on September 28th and shipping scheduled for October 26th.
“It’s as obvious a solution as the video doorbell,” Siminoff said. “If I were born or grew up in Europe, maybe I would have built this first.”
