Amazon Unveils New Blink and Ring Smart Cameras

Amazon is making major advances with its latest smart home devices, which include new Blink and Ring cameras. Both lineups focus on home security. And like you, I bet, I have no idea why Amazon has two different brands for what should be a single, unified product line.

There are three new models on the Blink side of the house: The Blink Outdoor 2K+, the Blink Mini 2K+, and the Blink Arc, a new dual-camera solution.

The Blink Outdoor 2K+ provides 2K video, 4x zoom, enhanced low-light performance, audio with noise-canceling two-way talk, and smart notifications for things like person and vehicle detection (with a Blink Subscription Plus plan). It costs $89.99 and can be preordered now.

The Blink Mini 2K+ is a compact indoor security camera with 2K video and the same smart features noted above. And it can be used outdoors with the Blink Weather-Resistant Power Adapter. It costs $49.99 and can be preordered now.

The new Blink Arc uses two Blink Mini 2K+ cameras to deliver a single, stitched together widescreen feed with a 180-degree view (with a Blink Subscription Plus plan) and 6 MP of resolution. It costs $99.99 and there’s a Blink Arc mount for $19.99. Both are available for preorder now.

Meanwhile, there are several new Ring products as well.

“For 12 years, Ring has worked to perfect the clarity and reliability of the video so neighbors can easily keep an eye on what matters most—whether it’s family members arriving home safely from school or a beloved pet that’s wandered too far,” Amazon explains. “Now Ring is announcing its best-ever lineup, with the newest 2K and 4K cameras and doorbells, paired with an innovative AI feature designed to help reunite lost pets with their families. Ring is raising the bar once again.”

The new 4K Ring devices all use the new Ring Retinal 4K Vision imaging technology, which Amazon says provides advanced AI tuning to deliver sharper video, 10x zoom, and enhanced low-light performance. This is available in new Wired Doorbell Pro, Spotlight Cam Pro, Floodlight Cam Pro, and Outdoor Cam Pro models. And there are new Spotlight Cam Pro POE, Outdoor Cam Pro POE, and Wired Doorbell Elite models for those who want Power over Ethernet devices.

Two other models, the Indoor Cam Plus and Wired Doorbell Plus, are getting Ring Retinal 2K Vision, with greater clarity and pixel density.

Amazon also announced a related Greetings feature for Alexa+ so you can use Alexa like a smart doorbell attendant. Alexa+ will interact with people who show up at the door, manage deliveries, and provide instructions as needed. And it uses Familiar Faces to recognize people you know well and not continually notify you about their routine activities.

Ring also introduced a new Search Party for dogs feature that helps your Ring devices and others nearby reunite lost dogs with their owners. “Using AI to look for possible matches, outdoor cameras will notify camera owners if they spot what might be the missing dog,” Amazon says. “Your Ring app will show you a picture of the lost dog and relevant camera footage.”

Ring is also updating its app to provide AI-based video descriptions so you can easily distinguish between everyday and more urgent activities. This feature is rolling out in beta now to Ring Home Premium subscribers in the U.S. and Canada. It works with all currently available Ring doorbells and cameras.

Ring Wired Doorbell Pro ($249.99), Wired Doorbell Plus ($179.99), Outdoor Cam Pro ($199.99, $299.98 PoE), Spotlight Cam Pro ($249.99, $349.98 PoE), Floodlight Cam Pro ($279.99), Indoor Cam Plus ($59.99), and Wired Doorbell Elite ($499.99) are available for pre-order today. Search Party for dogs will start rolling out in November, Amazon says, followed by cats and other pets. And Alexa+ Greetings and Familiar Faces will be available in December.