Ring unveils two new video doorbells, one that records before motion is detected
Leaks that had promised two new Ring video doorbells proved accurate, with the company launching the Ring Video Doorbell 3 and Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus. Both will feature motion detection between five to 15 feet from a door, when they go on sale April 8, and also have dual-band Wi-Fi of 2.4Ghz/5Ghz.
But the big selling point for the two new doorbells — and a feature that may bring in new buyers who have yet to add one of these smart devices — is called Pre-Roll, which will automatically re-collect video from four seconds before the device actually detects motion. We've seen that feature on the now defunct Owlcam, and that extra, new for Ring, will only be available on the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus which will retail for $229.99.
Pushing the motion detection in a smaller range helps with false reads from cars, for example, driving past a neighborhood home. But because the space is now much closer to a home, the two new video doorbells also allow people to create Privacy Zones, a tool Ring uses that essentially covers a specific area in a black box. Anything in that space can't be seen in a live view, nor can it be recorded through video. Up until now, that feature had only worked on the Ring Peephole Camera, and allowed people to create two of these per device. Video and audio recording can also be turned off at will by users too.
Ring Doorbell 3 Plus - $229.99 at Best Buy - Pre-Order Here.
However, the Pre-Roll feature is likely to prove a help for those looking to understand what may trip the motion detection in the video doorbell, seeing things that are within the video of the camera even before it gets close to a home.
Ring also announced a newly re-designed Ring Chime and the Chime Pro. The former is how people can get the doorbell sounds inside their home, while the latter adds a built-in nightlight plus a Wi-Fi extender.
The Ring Video Doorbell 3, priced at $199.99, and the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus, priced at $229.99 can now be pre-ordered, as well as the $29.99 Ring Chime and the $49.99 Chime Pro. All four will be available for sale on April 8, 2020.
