Ring

Corporate brand

Ring is an Amazon-owned home-security brand known for smart video doorbells, cameras, alarm systems, connected security services, and the Neighbors community platform. Ring is a smart security company whose mission is to make neighborhoods safer.

Last updated October 14, 2026

Overview

Ring is a United States home-security and smart-home brand operated by Ring LLC, a subsidiary of Amazon.com, Inc. The company sells connected video doorbells, indoor and outdoor security cameras, alarm systems, lighting, accessories, car-security products, and subscription-based monitoring and cloud-recording services. Its products are managed primarily through the Ring mobile application and integrate with Amazon Alexa and selected Amazon connectivity services. The business began as Doorbot, a startup founded by Jamie Siminoff in 2013. Its central idea was to turn a conventional doorbell into a remote security and communications device: a homeowner could see, hear, and speak with a visitor through a smartphone even when away from home. Doorbot was crowdfunded and later appeared on the television program Shark Tank. Siminoff declined an investment offer from Kevin O'Leary, but later said that the broadcast materially increased the company's visibility and sales. In September 2014, the company adopted the Ring name while introducing a second-generation product, positioning the doorbell as part of a broader security system rather than merely a connected household accessory. Ring expanded rapidly during the mid-2010s. It introduced Stick Up Cam, Floodlight Cam, Ring Alarm, smart-lighting products, and additional doorbell formats. Equity financing came from investors including Kleiner Perkins, Qualcomm Ventures, Goldman Sachs, DFJ Growth, and Richard Branson. Shaquille O'Neal also became an investor and public spokesperson. The company developed a business model combining relatively accessible hardware with recurring revenue from cloud video storage, professional alarm monitoring, cellular backup, extended warranties, and other Ring Protect features. Amazon completed its acquisition of Ring on April 12, 2018. Amazon reported cash consideration of approximately $839 million, net of cash acquired, in its 2018 annual report. Ring continued to operate as a distinct consumer-facing brand while gaining access to Amazon's distribution, Alexa ecosystem, engineering resources, and connected-device infrastructure. After the acquisition, Ring broadened its role from a doorbell manufacturer into a wider home, neighborhood, and vehicle-security platform. Products and services introduced or expanded under Amazon included Ring Alarm, Ring Alarm Pro with eero networking capabilities, the Always Home Cam concept, Ring Car Cam, Ring Car Alarm, Car Connect, and support for Amazon Sidewalk. Ring also operates Neighbors, a hyperlocal safety and security service where users can share alerts, images, and video. The platform has been promoted as a digital neighborhood-watch tool and has supported posts from participating police departments. At the same time, its relationships with law-enforcement agencies and policies for requesting or disclosing customer footage have generated sustained criticism from civil-liberties organizations, privacy researchers, and lawmakers. Ring discontinued the police Request for Assistance feature in 2024, although footage disclosure can still be governed by consent, emergency exceptions, legal process, and other company policies. Privacy and cybersecurity controversies are a defining part of Ring's public history. The Federal Trade Commission alleged that employees and contractors had overly broad access to customers' videos, that Ring used some video data in ways customers did not adequately understand, and that weak security controls allowed hackers to access accounts, cameras, and recordings. In 2023, Ring agreed to a $5.8 million settlement and related privacy and security obligations. The FTC later distributed more than $5.6 million in refunds to eligible consumers. Ring products have also been subject to individual security vulnerability disclosures and a 2020 recall involving certain video doorbells because of a potential fire risk. By 2025 and 2026, Ring was increasingly presenting itself as an AI-enabled hom…

History

Ring's origins trace to Jamie Siminoff's effort to make the front door accessible from anywhere through a smartphone. The concept developed in a garage and became Doorbot, a connected doorbell combining a camera, microphone, speaker, wireless connectivity, and mobile notifications. Doorbot began shipping in 2013 after crowdfunding through Christie Street, where it raised more than its initial target. The early product addressed a simple problem—knowing who was at the door while away—but its commercial framing was broader: the doorbell was presented as a first layer of a home-security system that could deter or document unwanted activity. In 2013, Siminoff and Doorbot appeared on Shark Tank seeking investment. Kevin O'Leary made an offer, which Siminoff declined. The broadcast nevertheless gave the young company significant exposure. In September 2014, Doorbot rebranded as Ring while launching second-generation hardware. The new name reflected the company's attempt to define the device as a security product and to build a recognizable platform around it. Ring expanded its product range during the following years. The company developed additional video doorbells, the Stick Up Cam for flexible indoor and outdoor monitoring, Floodlight Cam with motion-activated lighting, smart-lighting products, and an alarm system. It also attracted substantial outside investment from venture and strategic investors. Shaquille O'Neal took an equity position and became a prominent spokesperson. By 2017, Ring was attempting to compete in the broader residential-security market rather than remain a single-product doorbell company. That expansion brought legal and financial pressure. ADT sued Ring in 2017 in a dispute connected with trade secrets and Ring Alarm. A court temporarily restricted sales of the alarm product, and the dispute was later settled on terms that were not publicly confirmed in the cited material. The litigation increased pressure on a company with a high reported monthly cash burn and contributed to the search for a strategic buyer. Amazon had already been an investor and commercial partner, and its executives began acquisition due diligence in late 2017. Amazon completed its acquisition of Ring on April 12, 2018. Amazon's 2018 annual report recorded approximately $839 million in cash consideration, net of cash acquired. Ring remained a distinct brand headquartered in Santa Monica, while Amazon provided distribution, capital, engineering support, Alexa integration, and access to a wider connected-device ecosystem. Ring's mission was expressed in terms of making neighborhoods safer and reducing crime, and Amazon presented the acquisition as a way to make home-security products more accessible. After the acquisition, Ring launched Neighbors, a hyperlocal social platform that allowed users to share safety alerts and footage. Police departments in participating communities could publish information and, under the platform's then-existing processes, request user video relevant to investigations. This approach helped Ring present its products as part of a neighborhood-level safety network, but it also made the company a major subject of debate over private surveillance, law-enforcement access, racial profiling, civil liberties, and informed consent. Congressional inquiries examined Ring's acquisition by Amazon and its data-sharing partnerships. In 2022, Amazon acknowledged that it had provided footage to police without user permission in at least some emergency or legally compelled situations. Ring discontinued the police Request for Assistance mechanism in 2024. The company continued broadening its hardware and service portfolio. Ring Alarm launched in 2018, followed by more advanced alarm and connectivity products. Ring supported Amazon Sidewalk and introduced products and concepts for vehicles, including Car Alarm, Car Cam, and Car Connect. Ring also explored autonomous indoor monitoring through the Always Home Cam. Its subscription plans became increasingly important to the customer experience, with recording retention, alarm monitoring, cellular backup, and selected app functions tied to Ring Protect tiers. Privacy and security failures became a central part of Ring's corporate history. Researchers and journalists documented security vulnerabilities, third-party tracking concerns, and the risks of excessive access to video data. In 2023, the Federal Trade Commission charged that Ring had allowed employees and contractors to access sensitive customer videos too broadly and had failed to maintain basic protections against hackers. The resulting $5.8 million settlement required consumer redress, deletion of certain data and derived work products, and a formal privacy and security program. Refunds were distributed to eligible consumers in 2024. Leadership changed in 2023 when Siminoff left the CEO role and Elizabeth Hamren assumed the position. Hamren had previously held senior roles at Discord, Microsoft, Oculus, and other technology companies. She remained CEO through June 2025, after which she became CEO of AllTrails. Siminoff returned to Amazon and Ring-related work in 2025, focusing on invention and product direction. Ring's recent evolution has centered on artificial intelligence. The company has promoted natural-language video search, generative descriptions, unusual-event and fire alerts, and Search Party for lost pets. These capabilities aim to reduce the burden of manually reviewing camera events and to turn a network of security devices into an intelligent assistant for the home. They also intensify longstanding questions about data retention, biometric inference, opt-in design, and the social consequences of large-scale camera networks. In 2026, backlash over a proposed Flock Safety relationship illustrated how quickly Ring's product strategy can become entangled with broader debates over automated surveillance.

2026
Flock Safety partnership is withdrawn
[11]Amazon scraps partnership with surveillance company after Super Bowl ad backlashapnews.com
Ring announced that it would withdraw from a proposed Flock Safety partnership following public criticism about surveillance implications.
2025
Siminoff returns to Ring-related work
[9]5 Questions with Ring Founder Jamie Siminoffaboutamazon.com
Amazon announced Siminoff's return to product and invention work across Ring and related Amazon connected-device businesses.
2025
AI video search and Search Party expand the platform
[8]Ring Introduces Video Searchring.com
Ring introduced AI-supported video search and Search Party, initially positioned as a lost-pet discovery feature.
2024
Police Request for Assistance feature is discontinued
[1]Ring (company)en.wikipedia.org
Ring ended the Neighbors mechanism that enabled police departments to request customer footage through the platform.
2023
Leadership transition
[17]Leadership transitionring.com
Jamie Siminoff moved out of the CEO role and Elizabeth Hamren became CEO.
2023
FTC privacy settlement
[5]FTC Says Ring Employees Illegally Surveilled Customerssearch.ftc.gov
Ring agreed to a $5.8 million FTC settlement concerning employee access to videos and inadequate privacy and security controls.
2022
Ring Nation debuts
[1]Ring (company)en.wikipedia.org
MGM Television launched a syndicated program using viral home and security-camera footage under the Ring Nation brand.
2021
Ring Alarm Pro is announced
[1]Ring (company)en.wikipedia.org
Ring combined its alarm platform with eero connectivity in Ring Alarm Pro.
2020
Ring doorbell recall
[1]Ring (company)en.wikipedia.org
Amazon recalled hundreds of thousands of Ring doorbells in the United States and Canada because of a potential fire risk.
2020
Always Home Cam and automotive products are unveiled
[1]Ring (company)en.wikipedia.org
Ring announced an autonomous indoor camera concept and a new automotive-security portfolio including Car Alarm, Car Cam, and Car Connect.

Showing the 10 most recent.

Products and positioning

A consumer-friendly, connected security ecosystem built around video doorbells, cameras, alarms, neighborhood participation, and subscription services. Ring historically emphasized affordable access to remote home monitoring and a mission of helping make neighborhoods safer; under Amazon, the brand increasingly emphasizes integration with Alexa, AI-assisted video understanding, and broader smart-home connectivity. Smart security company aiming to make safety and peace of mind accessible to everyone.

Smart video doorbell · 2013
Ring Video Doorbell
Ring's foundational product line combines a doorbell button with a camera, motion detection, microphone, speaker, mobile notifications, and two-way communication. Depending on the model, the line includes battery-powered, wired, Pro, Elite, and higher-resolution variants. Doorbells can provide live view, record motion events, support privacy zones, integrate with Alexa, and work with accessories such as Ring Chime and Chime Pro. Ring's first Video Doorbell was born after its founder asked what if you could answer the front door from your phone.
Security camera · 2015
Ring Stick Up Cam
Stick Up Cam is Ring's flexible indoor and outdoor camera family. Models have been offered with battery, wired, and solar power options and include motion alerts, live video, two-way audio, and app-based control. The product helped Ring move from a single doorbell category into broader residential and small-business video monitoring.
Outdoor security camera · 2017
Ring Floodlight Cam
Floodlight Cam combines a motion-activated outdoor camera with integrated LED floodlights and a siren. It is intended for driveways, yards, entrances, and other exterior areas where lighting and video monitoring can operate together. The product represents Ring's emphasis on deterrence as well as post-event recording.
Indoor security camera · 2019
Ring Indoor Cam
Indoor Cam is a compact camera designed for interior spaces. It provides live view, motion notifications, two-way talk, and cloud-connected event recording through the Ring app. Later developments included a Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam with substantially wider room coverage through horizontal panning and vertical tilting.
Home alarm and network system · 2018
Ring Alarm Pro
Ring Alarm is a do-it-yourself residential security system built around a base station, keypad, contact sensors, motion detectors, and audible alarms. It is designed for self-installation and app-based control, with optional professional monitoring and cellular backup available through subscription plans. The system extended Ring from video surveillance into intrusion detection and whole-home security. Ring Alarm Pro combines Ring Alarm hardware with eero-based networking capabilities. It is intended to consolidate home-security management and connectivity in one platform, while retaining the sensors, keypad, alarm, and monitoring features of Ring Alarm. Its design reflects Amazon's strategy of linking Ring to a broader smart-home infrastructure.
Automotive security camera · 2020
Ring Car Cam
Ring Car Cam is an automotive camera system designed to monitor a vehicle's interior and surroundings. Announced with features such as break-in alerts, emergency crash assistance, and voice commands for traffic stops, it extended Ring's security proposition beyond the home. Ring also announced Car Connect as a way for automakers to integrate vehicle cameras with the Ring platform.
Security subscription service · 2017
Ring Protect Plans
Ring Protect is the subscription layer supporting cloud video storage, event-history access, extended device warranties, alarm professional monitoring, and cellular backup on eligible plans. Ring has progressively placed more app and security functions behind subscription tiers, making recurring service revenue an important part of the brand's operating model. A subscription plan that lets users re-watch moments they missed, unlock intelligent recognition, and get emergency monitoring.
Neighborhood safety platform · 2018
Neighbors
Neighbors is Ring's hyperlocal community and safety service. Users can share alerts, images, and video and discuss local incidents without necessarily disclosing their exact location. The platform has also distributed posts from participating public-safety agencies. Its law-enforcement relationships made it influential in local security discussions but also central to criticism of private surveillance networks and police access to consumer footage.
AI-assisted neighborhood search feature · 2025
Search Party
Search Party uses Ring's camera network and AI-assisted matching to help users look for lost pets reported through the Neighbors ecosystem. The feature represents Ring's shift toward network-level video intelligence rather than simple event recording. It has also prompted debate about whether systems introduced for narrowly defined purposes could later support broader forms of object, person, or biometric search.
Doorbells
Ring's homepage lists Doorbells among its product categories.
Outdoor Cameras
Ring's homepage lists Outdoor Cameras among its product categories.
Indoor Cameras
Ring's homepage lists Indoor Cameras among its product categories.
Alarms & Sensors
Ring's homepage lists Alarms & Sensors among its product categories.
Accessories
Ring's homepage lists Accessories among its product categories.
Chime (3rd Gen)
A doorbell chime priced at $34.99 on Ring's product page.

Controversies

2026
Flock Safety partnership backlash
A proposed relationship with Flock Safety drew criticism because Flock operates automated license-plate-recognition systems and critics feared that combining the two networks would expand warrantless or weakly governed surveillance. Ring subsequently announced that it would withdraw from the partnership.
Source
2025
Search Party surveillance debate
Ring's AI-assisted Search Party feature, initially promoted for locating lost pets, triggered criticism that a distributed camera network could normalize wider forms of automated object or person detection.
Source
2023
FTC privacy and security enforcement action
The FTC alleged that Ring employees and contractors had excessive access to customer videos and that inadequate security protections enabled hackers to access accounts, cameras, and recordings. Ring agreed to pay $5.8 million and implement privacy and security measures.
Source
2020
Third-party tracking concerns in the Ring app
The Electronic Frontier Foundation reported that the Ring Android application transmitted identifiable information and device-related data to several third-party analytics and marketing services.
Source
2019
Law-enforcement access and private surveillance criticism
Civil-liberties groups and lawmakers criticized Ring's Neighbors partnerships with police departments, arguing that the system could create a distributed surveillance network outside traditional public-sector oversight.
Source
2017
ADT litigation over Ring Alarm
ADT sued Ring in a dispute involving alleged trade-secret misappropriation connected with Ring Alarm. A judge temporarily blocked sales of the alarm product, and the dispute later ended in a settlement whose amount was not confirmed in the cited material.
Source

2022Ring Nation
United States
MGM Television launched a syndicated program using viral footage from phones, home cameras, and doorbells. The show extended Ring's media presence and normalized the entertainment value of connected-camera footage.
Outcome. The program raised additional questions about consent, ownership, and the cultural treatment of domestic surveillance video.
Source
2018Making neighborhoods safer
United States · United Kingdom · International markets
Ring and Amazon promoted an integrated mission of helping neighbors monitor their homes and reduce crime. Product launches, Neighbors, public-safety partnerships, and community donations were presented as parts of a neighborhood-safety ecosystem.
Outcome. The campaign established Ring's long-running social-purpose positioning while also exposing the brand to surveillance and civil-liberties criticism.
Source
2016Shaquille O'Neal brand partnership
United States
After acquiring an equity stake in Ring, Shaquille O'Neal became a high-profile spokesperson. The partnership helped position Ring as an approachable mainstream consumer-security brand rather than a specialist alarm company.
Outcome. Ring broadened its mass-market recognition and used celebrity endorsement to support household adoption.
Source
2013Shark Tank exposure
United States
Doorbot appeared on Shark Tank to seek investment. Although Jamie Siminoff declined the offer made by Kevin O'Leary, the broadcast significantly increased awareness of the company and helped drive later sales and hiring.
Outcome. The company did not take the proposed deal but gained substantial consumer visibility and credibility.
Source

Brand decisions

2026
Withdraw from proposed Flock Safety relationshipOther
Background
Critics objected to a proposed relationship between Ring's camera ecosystem and Flock Safety's automated license-plate-recognition infrastructure.
Action taken
Ring announced that it would withdraw from the partnership and said it had never been officially implemented.
Aftermath
The episode demonstrated the reputational risks of extending Ring's network beyond household security into cross-platform surveillance systems.
Source
2025
Shift toward AI-assisted home awarenessStrategy
Background
Ring sought to make its growing volume of camera footage easier to interpret and to broaden the brand beyond event recording.
Action taken
Ring introduced or expanded natural-language video search, generative descriptions, unusual-event alerts, fire-related detection, and Search Party for lost pets.
Aftermath
The strategy positioned Ring as an AI-enabled home assistant while renewing concerns about data governance, biometric inference, and distributed surveillance.
Source
2024
End police Request for AssistanceStrategy
Background
Ring faced sustained criticism over police access to user-generated footage and the role of Neighbors in local surveillance systems.
Action taken
Ring discontinued the Request for Assistance feature used by police departments to solicit footage from users.
Aftermath
The decision reduced one formal channel for police requests but did not eliminate all possible disclosures through consent, emergency exceptions, subpoenas, or other legal processes.
Source
2023
Increase reliance on Ring Protect subscriptionsStrategy
Background
Ring's hardware business increasingly relied on recurring service revenue for cloud storage, alarm monitoring, and advanced app functionality.
Action taken
Ring placed additional features, including selected modes and app controls, behind subscription requirements for new or eligible users.
Aftermath
The move reinforced recurring revenue economics but generated customer criticism over reduced functionality without a paid plan.
Source
2021
Introduce Ring Alarm ProProduct launch
Background
Amazon's ownership of both Ring and eero created an opportunity to connect residential security with home networking.
Action taken
Ring introduced Ring Alarm Pro, combining alarm functions with eero connectivity.
Aftermath
The product strengthened Ring's position as a broader smart-home platform rather than a camera-only brand.
Source
2018
Sell Ring to AmazonM&A
Background
Ring needed capital and scale to expand beyond doorbells while competing in the residential-security market.
Action taken
Amazon completed the acquisition of Ring on April 12, 2018.
Aftermath
Ring gained access to Amazon's distribution and technology ecosystem while remaining a distinct consumer brand.
Cash consideration, net of cash acquired. Approximately $839 million (2018 acquisition)
Source
2018
Launch NeighborsProduct launch
Background
Ring sought to extend home monitoring into neighborhood-level safety and community participation.
Action taken
Ring launched Neighbors for local alerts, safety discussion, shared footage, and selected public-safety posts.
Aftermath
Neighbors became an important part of Ring's social-purpose positioning and a major source of privacy and surveillance controversy.
Source
2014
Rebrand Doorbot as RingStrategy
Background
The original Doorbot name described the product as a connected doorbell but did not fully express the company's broader home-security ambitions.
Action taken
The company changed its name to Ring and launched updated second-generation hardware.
Aftermath
The rebrand established the Ring identity used for the company's subsequent doorbell, camera, alarm, software, and subscription portfolio.
Source

Recent events

2025
Jamie Siminoff returns to Ring and Amazon[9]5 Questions with Ring Founder Jamie Siminoffaboutamazon.com
Leadership change
Amazon described Siminoff's return as a renewed focus on invention and product development across Ring, Blink, Amazon Key, and Sidewalk.
2025
Ring expands AI-enabled video capabilities[8]Ring Introduces Video Searchring.com
Product launch · Product generation
Ring introduced or expanded AI-oriented functions including natural-language video search, generative video descriptions, and Search Party, which was presented as a tool for finding lost pets through participating camera footage.
2024
Ring discontinues police Request for Assistance feature[1]Ring (company)en.wikipedia.org
Regulation · Other
Ring announced that it would discontinue the Neighbors Request for Assistance feature through which participating law-enforcement agencies could request customer video.
2023
Jamie Siminoff steps down as Ring CEO[17]Leadership transitionring.com
Leadership change
Siminoff left the chief executive role and continued in a product and invention-focused capacity. Elizabeth Hamren became CEO.
2022
Ring Nation television series debuts[1]Ring (company)en.wikipedia.org
Campaign · Other
Amazon-owned MGM Television launched Ring Nation, a syndicated program built around viral videos from phones, home cameras, and smart doorbells, including but not limited to Ring footage.
2021
ADT files trademark lawsuit against Ring[1]Ring (company)en.wikipedia.org
Lawsuit
ADT sued Ring over the use of blue octagonal security signage that ADT argued was confusingly similar to its protected visual identity.
2021
Ring Alarm Pro combines home security with eero connectivity[1]Ring (company)en.wikipedia.org
Product launch
Ring announced Ring Alarm Pro, combining Ring's alarm hardware with eero-based networking and connectivity features.
2020
House oversight investigation examines Ring data-sharing partnerships[1]Ring (company)en.wikipedia.org
Regulation · Other
The House Committee on Oversight and Accountability opened an investigation into Ring's relationships with local governments and police departments and the handling of footage requests.
2020
Ring doorbell recall over potential fire risk[1]Ring (company)en.wikipedia.org
Recall
Amazon announced a recall affecting approximately 350,000 Ring doorbells in the United States and 8,700 in Canada because of a potential fire hazard associated with installation.
2019
Congress investigates Amazon's Ring and other connected-device acquisitions[1]Ring (company)en.wikipedia.org
Regulation · M&A
The House Judiciary Committee examined Amazon's acquisitions of Ring, Blink, and eero as part of a broader investigation into digital-market competition and the company's position in connected devices.

Showing the 10 most recent.

Sources19 sources

Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/ring · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled

Overview

History

2026
Flock Safety partnership is withdrawn
[11]Amazon scraps partnership with surveillance company after Super Bowl ad backlashapnews.com
Ring announced that it would withdraw from a proposed Flock Safety partnership following public criticism about surveillance implications.
2025
Siminoff returns to Ring-related work
[9]5 Questions with Ring Founder Jamie Siminoffaboutamazon.com
Amazon announced Siminoff's return to product and invention work across Ring and related Amazon connected-device businesses.
2025
AI video search and Search Party expand the platform
[8]Ring Introduces Video Searchring.com
Ring introduced AI-supported video search and Search Party, initially positioned as a lost-pet discovery feature.
2024
Police Request for Assistance feature is discontinued
[1]Ring (company)en.wikipedia.org
Ring ended the Neighbors mechanism that enabled police departments to request customer footage through the platform.
2023
Leadership transition
[17]Leadership transitionring.com
Jamie Siminoff moved out of the CEO role and Elizabeth Hamren became CEO.
2023
FTC privacy settlement
[5]FTC Says Ring Employees Illegally Surveilled Customerssearch.ftc.gov
Ring agreed to a $5.8 million FTC settlement concerning employee access to videos and inadequate privacy and security controls.
2022
Ring Nation debuts
[1]Ring (company)en.wikipedia.org
MGM Television launched a syndicated program using viral home and security-camera footage under the Ring Nation brand.
2021
Ring Alarm Pro is announced
[1]Ring (company)en.wikipedia.org
Ring combined its alarm platform with eero connectivity in Ring Alarm Pro.
2020
Ring doorbell recall
[1]Ring (company)en.wikipedia.org
Amazon recalled hundreds of thousands of Ring doorbells in the United States and Canada because of a potential fire risk.
2020
Always Home Cam and automotive products are unveiled
[1]Ring (company)en.wikipedia.org
Ring announced an autonomous indoor camera concept and a new automotive-security portfolio including Car Alarm, Car Cam, and Car Connect.

Showing the 10 most recent.

Products and positioning

Smart video doorbell · 2013
Ring Video Doorbell
Ring's foundational product line combines a doorbell button with a camera, motion detection, microphone, speaker, mobile notifications, and two-way communication. Depending on the model, the line includes battery-powered, wired, Pro, Elite, and higher-resolution variants. Doorbells can provide live view, record motion events, support privacy zones, integrate with Alexa, and work with accessories such as Ring Chime and Chime Pro. Ring's first Video Doorbell was born after its founder asked what if you could answer the front door from your phone.
Security camera · 2015
Ring Stick Up Cam
Stick Up Cam is Ring's flexible indoor and outdoor camera family. Models have been offered with battery, wired, and solar power options and include motion alerts, live video, two-way audio, and app-based control. The product helped Ring move from a single doorbell category into broader residential and small-business video monitoring.
Outdoor security camera · 2017
Ring Floodlight Cam
Floodlight Cam combines a motion-activated outdoor camera with integrated LED floodlights and a siren. It is intended for driveways, yards, entrances, and other exterior areas where lighting and video monitoring can operate together. The product represents Ring's emphasis on deterrence as well as post-event recording.
Indoor security camera · 2019
Ring Indoor Cam
Indoor Cam is a compact camera designed for interior spaces. It provides live view, motion notifications, two-way talk, and cloud-connected event recording through the Ring app. Later developments included a Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam with substantially wider room coverage through horizontal panning and vertical tilting.
Home alarm and network system · 2018
Ring Alarm Pro
Ring Alarm is a do-it-yourself residential security system built around a base station, keypad, contact sensors, motion detectors, and audible alarms. It is designed for self-installation and app-based control, with optional professional monitoring and cellular backup available through subscription plans. The system extended Ring from video surveillance into intrusion detection and whole-home security. Ring Alarm Pro combines Ring Alarm hardware with eero-based networking capabilities. It is intended to consolidate home-security management and connectivity in one platform, while retaining the sensors, keypad, alarm, and monitoring features of Ring Alarm. Its design reflects Amazon's strategy of linking Ring to a broader smart-home infrastructure.
Automotive security camera · 2020
Ring Car Cam
Ring Car Cam is an automotive camera system designed to monitor a vehicle's interior and surroundings. Announced with features such as break-in alerts, emergency crash assistance, and voice commands for traffic stops, it extended Ring's security proposition beyond the home. Ring also announced Car Connect as a way for automakers to integrate vehicle cameras with the Ring platform.
Security subscription service · 2017
Ring Protect Plans
Ring Protect is the subscription layer supporting cloud video storage, event-history access, extended device warranties, alarm professional monitoring, and cellular backup on eligible plans. Ring has progressively placed more app and security functions behind subscription tiers, making recurring service revenue an important part of the brand's operating model. A subscription plan that lets users re-watch moments they missed, unlock intelligent recognition, and get emergency monitoring.
Neighborhood safety platform · 2018
Neighbors
Neighbors is Ring's hyperlocal community and safety service. Users can share alerts, images, and video and discuss local incidents without necessarily disclosing their exact location. The platform has also distributed posts from participating public-safety agencies. Its law-enforcement relationships made it influential in local security discussions but also central to criticism of private surveillance networks and police access to consumer footage.
AI-assisted neighborhood search feature · 2025
Search Party
Search Party uses Ring's camera network and AI-assisted matching to help users look for lost pets reported through the Neighbors ecosystem. The feature represents Ring's shift toward network-level video intelligence rather than simple event recording. It has also prompted debate about whether systems introduced for narrowly defined purposes could later support broader forms of object, person, or biometric search.
Doorbells
Ring's homepage lists Doorbells among its product categories.
Outdoor Cameras
Ring's homepage lists Outdoor Cameras among its product categories.
Indoor Cameras
Ring's homepage lists Indoor Cameras among its product categories.
Alarms & Sensors
Ring's homepage lists Alarms & Sensors among its product categories.
Accessories
Ring's homepage lists Accessories among its product categories.
Chime (3rd Gen)
A doorbell chime priced at $34.99 on Ring's product page.

Controversies

2026
Flock Safety partnership backlash
A proposed relationship with Flock Safety drew criticism because Flock operates automated license-plate-recognition systems and critics feared that combining the two networks would expand warrantless or weakly governed surveillance. Ring subsequently announced that it would withdraw from the partnership.
Source
2025
Search Party surveillance debate
Ring's AI-assisted Search Party feature, initially promoted for locating lost pets, triggered criticism that a distributed camera network could normalize wider forms of automated object or person detection.
Source
2023
FTC privacy and security enforcement action
The FTC alleged that Ring employees and contractors had excessive access to customer videos and that inadequate security protections enabled hackers to access accounts, cameras, and recordings. Ring agreed to pay $5.8 million and implement privacy and security measures.
Source
2020
Third-party tracking concerns in the Ring app
The Electronic Frontier Foundation reported that the Ring Android application transmitted identifiable information and device-related data to several third-party analytics and marketing services.
Source
2019
Law-enforcement access and private surveillance criticism
Civil-liberties groups and lawmakers criticized Ring's Neighbors partnerships with police departments, arguing that the system could create a distributed surveillance network outside traditional public-sector oversight.
Source
2017
ADT litigation over Ring Alarm
ADT sued Ring in a dispute involving alleged trade-secret misappropriation connected with Ring Alarm. A judge temporarily blocked sales of the alarm product, and the dispute later ended in a settlement whose amount was not confirmed in the cited material.
Source

Marketing campaigns

2022Ring Nation
United States
MGM Television launched a syndicated program using viral footage from phones, home cameras, and doorbells. The show extended Ring's media presence and normalized the entertainment value of connected-camera footage.
Outcome. The program raised additional questions about consent, ownership, and the cultural treatment of domestic surveillance video.
Source
2018Making neighborhoods safer
United States · United Kingdom · International markets
Ring and Amazon promoted an integrated mission of helping neighbors monitor their homes and reduce crime. Product launches, Neighbors, public-safety partnerships, and community donations were presented as parts of a neighborhood-safety ecosystem.
Outcome. The campaign established Ring's long-running social-purpose positioning while also exposing the brand to surveillance and civil-liberties criticism.
Source
2016Shaquille O'Neal brand partnership
United States
After acquiring an equity stake in Ring, Shaquille O'Neal became a high-profile spokesperson. The partnership helped position Ring as an approachable mainstream consumer-security brand rather than a specialist alarm company.
Outcome. Ring broadened its mass-market recognition and used celebrity endorsement to support household adoption.
Source
2013Shark Tank exposure
United States
Doorbot appeared on Shark Tank to seek investment. Although Jamie Siminoff declined the offer made by Kevin O'Leary, the broadcast significantly increased awareness of the company and helped drive later sales and hiring.
Outcome. The company did not take the proposed deal but gained substantial consumer visibility and credibility.
Source

Brand decisions

2026
Withdraw from proposed Flock Safety relationshipOther
Background
Critics objected to a proposed relationship between Ring's camera ecosystem and Flock Safety's automated license-plate-recognition infrastructure.
Action taken
Ring announced that it would withdraw from the partnership and said it had never been officially implemented.
Aftermath
The episode demonstrated the reputational risks of extending Ring's network beyond household security into cross-platform surveillance systems.
Source
2025
Shift toward AI-assisted home awarenessStrategy
Background
Ring sought to make its growing volume of camera footage easier to interpret and to broaden the brand beyond event recording.
Action taken
Ring introduced or expanded natural-language video search, generative descriptions, unusual-event alerts, fire-related detection, and Search Party for lost pets.
Aftermath
The strategy positioned Ring as an AI-enabled home assistant while renewing concerns about data governance, biometric inference, and distributed surveillance.
Source
2024
End police Request for AssistanceStrategy
Background
Ring faced sustained criticism over police access to user-generated footage and the role of Neighbors in local surveillance systems.
Action taken
Ring discontinued the Request for Assistance feature used by police departments to solicit footage from users.
Aftermath
The decision reduced one formal channel for police requests but did not eliminate all possible disclosures through consent, emergency exceptions, subpoenas, or other legal processes.
Source
2023
Increase reliance on Ring Protect subscriptionsStrategy
Background
Ring's hardware business increasingly relied on recurring service revenue for cloud storage, alarm monitoring, and advanced app functionality.
Action taken
Ring placed additional features, including selected modes and app controls, behind subscription requirements for new or eligible users.
Aftermath
The move reinforced recurring revenue economics but generated customer criticism over reduced functionality without a paid plan.
Source
2021
Introduce Ring Alarm ProProduct launch
Background
Amazon's ownership of both Ring and eero created an opportunity to connect residential security with home networking.
Action taken
Ring introduced Ring Alarm Pro, combining alarm functions with eero connectivity.
Aftermath
The product strengthened Ring's position as a broader smart-home platform rather than a camera-only brand.
Source
2018
Sell Ring to AmazonM&A
Background
Ring needed capital and scale to expand beyond doorbells while competing in the residential-security market.
Action taken
Amazon completed the acquisition of Ring on April 12, 2018.
Aftermath
Ring gained access to Amazon's distribution and technology ecosystem while remaining a distinct consumer brand.
Cash consideration, net of cash acquired. Approximately $839 million (2018 acquisition)
Source
2018
Launch NeighborsProduct launch
Background
Ring sought to extend home monitoring into neighborhood-level safety and community participation.
Action taken
Ring launched Neighbors for local alerts, safety discussion, shared footage, and selected public-safety posts.
Aftermath
Neighbors became an important part of Ring's social-purpose positioning and a major source of privacy and surveillance controversy.
Source
2014
Rebrand Doorbot as RingStrategy
Background
The original Doorbot name described the product as a connected doorbell but did not fully express the company's broader home-security ambitions.
Action taken
The company changed its name to Ring and launched updated second-generation hardware.
Aftermath
The rebrand established the Ring identity used for the company's subsequent doorbell, camera, alarm, software, and subscription portfolio.
Source

Recent events

2025
Jamie Siminoff returns to Ring and Amazon[9]5 Questions with Ring Founder Jamie Siminoffaboutamazon.com
Leadership change
Amazon described Siminoff's return as a renewed focus on invention and product development across Ring, Blink, Amazon Key, and Sidewalk.
2025
Ring expands AI-enabled video capabilities[8]Ring Introduces Video Searchring.com
Product launch · Product generation
Ring introduced or expanded AI-oriented functions including natural-language video search, generative video descriptions, and Search Party, which was presented as a tool for finding lost pets through participating camera footage.
2024
Ring discontinues police Request for Assistance feature[1]Ring (company)en.wikipedia.org
Regulation · Other
Ring announced that it would discontinue the Neighbors Request for Assistance feature through which participating law-enforcement agencies could request customer video.
2023
Jamie Siminoff steps down as Ring CEO[17]Leadership transitionring.com
Leadership change
Siminoff left the chief executive role and continued in a product and invention-focused capacity. Elizabeth Hamren became CEO.
2022
Ring Nation television series debuts[1]Ring (company)en.wikipedia.org
Campaign · Other
Amazon-owned MGM Television launched Ring Nation, a syndicated program built around viral videos from phones, home cameras, and smart doorbells, including but not limited to Ring footage.
2021
ADT files trademark lawsuit against Ring[1]Ring (company)en.wikipedia.org
Lawsuit
ADT sued Ring over the use of blue octagonal security signage that ADT argued was confusingly similar to its protected visual identity.
2021
Ring Alarm Pro combines home security with eero connectivity[1]Ring (company)en.wikipedia.org
Product launch
Ring announced Ring Alarm Pro, combining Ring's alarm hardware with eero-based networking and connectivity features.
2020
House oversight investigation examines Ring data-sharing partnerships[1]Ring (company)en.wikipedia.org
Regulation · Other
The House Committee on Oversight and Accountability opened an investigation into Ring's relationships with local governments and police departments and the handling of footage requests.
2020
Ring doorbell recall over potential fire risk[1]Ring (company)en.wikipedia.org
Recall
Amazon announced a recall affecting approximately 350,000 Ring doorbells in the United States and 8,700 in Canada because of a potential fire hazard associated with installation.
2019
Congress investigates Amazon's Ring and other connected-device acquisitions[1]Ring (company)en.wikipedia.org
Regulation · M&A
The House Judiciary Committee examined Amazon's acquisitions of Ring, Blink, and eero as part of a broader investigation into digital-market competition and the company's position in connected devices.

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Overview

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Overview

History

Products and positioning

Controversies

Marketing campaigns

Brand decisions

Recent events

Related entries

Sources19 sources