If any company is leading in the smart doorbell market, it’s Ring. The company had a bit of a rough start due to privacy concerns, but has since doubled down on its efforts and emerged as one of the leading brands. Between the Video Doorbell, the Video Doorbell Pro 2, and all of the other options it has on the market, Ring has raised the bar for what customers expect. However, there are still features I would love to see in the next iteration of the Ring Video Doorbell.
4K video
There are a lot of reasons why most video doorbells top out at 1080p, with storage leading the charge. With limited storage capabilities on SD cards, it’s hard to justify the amount of memory that 4K video takes, even if it does bring a big difference in clarity. It would still be great to see the option available for users. Perhaps the next Ring Video Doorbell could record at a lower resolution, such as 1080p or 1440p, but stream in 4K if users have sufficient Wi-Fi speed.
Although 4K may sometimes seem like a luxury, the higher-quality lenses provide more clarity in all conditions. The ability to make out finer details on the camera can make a huge difference. For example, if you’re targeted by a porch pirate, 4K video can make it easier to read the logo or lettering on a shirt than if the video were capped at 1080p.
Full-color night vision
Full-color night vision is a growing feature in many security cameras, but it has yet to make its way into many smart doorbells. Full-color night vision provides many of the same benefits that 4K video does. It provides greater clarity and allows the viewer to make out finer details through the camera, whether you’re watching a funny animal on your porch or keeping an eye out for package thieves.
Full-color night vision also has other benefits, such as fewer false alarms from the camera. The greater detail color night vision provides allows A.I. and detection algorithms to better distinguish between a shadow or a leaf moving across the porch and motion from a legitimate, potentially more concerning source.
Facial recognition
Ring has taken a pretty strict stance against facial recognition, especially with regard to sharing it with law enforcement. However, this eliminates some features that are particularly useful in competing models like the Nest Hello or the Kami Doorbell camera. These models can recognize specific guests and send you customized alerts; for example, informing you that “Mom is at the door,” rather than just giving a standard alert.
While the company’s stance on facial recognition technology makes sense from a privacy perspective, there are so many features it can be rolled into. Ring already allows for customized greetings through Alexa. With facial recognition, it could greet visitors by name.
Package alerts
For some reason, doorbells can miss deliveries, especially if you live in an apartment where the walkway approaches from the side. However, the package is always in view of the doorbell. I would love to see a feature implemented that alerts me to the presence of a package on my doorstep, even if the camera missed the driver dropping the package off. The Nest Hello currently has a similar feature. Adding it to Ring’s capabilities would give the company another advantage.
The feature would require modifying the recognition algorithms, but Ring has proven capable of much more than this. The integration of Alexa Smart Greetings is proof of that. Receiving a notification that a package has arrived would also improve the doorbell’s ability to combat package thieves.
Adjustable mounting angles
Ring allows users to swap out the faceplates on the doorbell to help it match the look of the home, but another welcome addition would be the ability to adjust the angle of the camera. For people who live at the end of a hallway or in a corner unit of an apartment building, the door sometimes faces a wall or a garden. Placing the doorbell on the door limits its field of view, but an adjustable mount would allow the user to point the doorbell down the hallway to better capture anyone approaching the door. Physical adjustments would supplement the already-impressive field of view that comes as part of Ring doorbells.
The previous improvements Ring has made to its lineup have been unexpected, but quite welcome. Features like Smart Greetings, head-to-toe video, and even the Bird’s Eye View capabilities make Ring one of the most secure, advanced options on the market, but there is always room for improvement. With luck, Amazon will announce a new model at its upcoming event with some of these other features implemented as part of its video doorbells.
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