Ring, the Amazon-owned video doorbell and camera brand, has announced its first smart lock. It is called the Ring Smart Lock, costs $249 and for now is planned only for the US market, with an arrival expected in the first quarter of 2027. The most concrete novelty concerns the battery: if it runs flat, you just turn the inside knob to generate the power needed to reopen the door.
What changes in practice
The problem with many electronic locks is simple: when the battery dies, you are left standing outside or have to resort to an emergency key. Ring has put a generator in the knob mechanism. Turn it for a few revolutions and the lock builds up enough charge to be unlocked. According to founder Jamie Siminoff, speaking to GeekWire, it takes about five to ten turns, depending on how far and how fast you turn it. A light goes green when there is enough charge.
Once powered, the door opens as usual:
- with the fingerprint reader;
- with the backlit touchscreen keypad, using a PIN code;
- with the Ring app;
- by voice, through Alexa on Echo devices.
From the app you can lock and check the door even from afar, create several users with set schedules and generate temporary codes that expire after a certain time. The lock integrates with Ring video doorbells and cameras.
Installation and connectivity
The product fits an ordinary single-cylinder deadbolt and needs no wiring. It will come in black, silver and brass.
For remote functions Ring relies on Amazon Sidewalk, Amazon’s low-power network. Remote locking, door status and PIN syncing go through it without depending on the home Wi-Fi, while unlocking happens locally on the device. The weak point is that Sidewalk exists only in the United States: outside that market the remote functions would be limited.
Pricing and availability in Italy
Ring has announced neither a euro price nor an arrival in Italy or Switzerland. The $249 price is the US one. What’s more, the lock has not yet received FCC authorisation, which is required to sell it in the United States, so even the first-quarter 2027 date is not final.
Who it’s interesting for
For now it is a story to keep an eye on rather than a purchase. It is of interest to those who already have Ring cameras and a video doorbell and live in the United States. For people in Europe, the lesson is a different one: Amazon wants to cover the whole front door, from the camera to the lock, and is doing so with a package that is tightly integrated with Alexa.
What is still unclear
Some details are missing. Ring has not said how big the battery is or how many users or fingerprints can be registered, and there is no data on the reader’s accuracy. An estimate of roughly a year of battery life has been reported, but it is unverified. Nobody has tried the product yet: resistance to rain and cold, keypad performance and the long-term durability of the crank mechanism remain to be proven.
What we think
The idea of the generator knob is clever because it solves the flaw that makes many people wary of electronic locks. A door that won’t open because of a flat battery is the worst possible scenario, and a remedy built into the lock itself is a real advantage.
The doubt concerns the ecosystem. With a US-only Sidewalk and a close tie to Alexa and Ring products, the lock is made for people already inside the Amazon world. Those who use other platforms, such as Apple Home or Google Home, have no indication for now of compatibility: Ring talks only about Alexa and its own devices. For Italian homes, where armoured doors with a European cylinder are the norm, a version different from the American model would also be needed. Until a European announcement, it remains an interesting curiosity.
Written by the SpazioiTech newsroom with the help of AI tools, from facts verified across at least two independent outlets, and checked before publication. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
Translated from the Italian original. Read in Italian
