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A doorbell is only useful if you know it has been rung. Yesterday, I had a delivery arrive at home, and while I got the notification on my phone, sitting on a train, my wife didn't hear it ring, despite the fact she was at home. I had to text her to let her know to answer the door.
Ring is trying to make the notification of a doorbell ring a bit easier for apartment dwellers with its new Intercom.
Ring Intercom connects to your building's existing intercom system and gives you full control from the Ring app.
You can see who's buzzing, have a two-way conversation, and remotely unlock the building entrance, whether you're in the kitchen or on the other side of the country. It also works with Echo Show devices for a hands-free experience.
Research from Amazon shows 76% of apartment residents missed at least one parcel in their last 10 deliveries, and 58% have adjusted their work day to be home for a delivery.
Ring Intercom also enables automatic building access for Amazon delivery drivers, which cuts out the need to be physically available for most online orders. There's arguably a bit of a risk involved with letting drivers into your building, though.
Installation is a DIY job that takes under 45 minutes and requires no structural changes, which makes it viable for renters.
Ring offers a compatibility checker on its website to confirm whether your building's intercom is supported before you buy.
The base experience includes in-app video calls and Quick Replies, pre-set messages you can send when you can't answer ("leave it at the door" or "back in 10 minutes").
If you want the full feature set, Ring Protect subscription plans start at $4.95 per month and add Visitor Snapshot (automatic images of every buzz), 180-day video history, and Voicemail.
Ring has been expanding its lineup in Australia over recent years. The Ring Battery Video Doorbell Pro brought Pro-grade video performance to battery power earlier this year; Ring Intercom targets a different gap in the market, for the millions of Australians who don't have a front door to mount a doorbell on at all.
Pricing and availability
Ring Intercom is available now in Australia for $189 from Amazon.
Ring Protect subscription plans, which unlock advanced features including video history and Visitor Snapshot, start at $4.95 per month.
Before purchasing, you should check your building's compatibility using the online compatibility checker on Ring's website.
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