During Amazon’s wild day of new product announcements, the company also managed to sneak in an upgrade from Ring, the video doorbell maker acquired by the ecommerce giant earlier this year. Amazon unveiled an update to the Ring Stick Up Camera that shows off a new camera casing and improved video quality.
Under Amazon’s ownership, Ring is ditching the boxy design of its previous model of Stick Up Camera. The new model features a cylindrical body casing –basically the same shape as Amazon’s popular Echo speaker and the newly announced Echo Sub — and comes in two colors: black or white.
In addition to the change in shape, Ring has also snuck in a camera upgrade to the new version of the Stick Up Camera. The latest update to the line includes a camera capable of capturing 1080 HD video, an improvement over the 720p resolution of the prior model. The camera has a field of view of 115-degrees horizontally and 65-degrees vertically, so it captures a considerable amount of action. It also features night vision and motion detection so it can catch any action no matter the time of day.
Users will still be able to stream the video in real time from the Ring smartphone app to check in on anything happening around their home and engage in two-way audio communication, but now the view will be in crystal-clear HD.
There are two versions of the Ring Stick Up Camera: A wired one that plugs in to an outlet and has Power of Ethernet (POE) or a battery-powered option that can be set up in more remote locations. Both can be used in indoor and outdoor settings, but the battery-backed model includes a rechargeable battery pack that can quickly be removed and charged. Amazon hasn’t provided details about the expected battery life provided by the pack or how long it takes to achieve a full charge, but those details may come later.
The updated Ring Stick Up Camera appears like it will slot right in and replace the previous model. It has the same price tag, costing $180. The security device isn’t available for purchase just yet, but it can be pre-ordered through Amazon, Best Buy, Home Depot and Ring.com. It will begin shipping on October 18.
