In the same way that Zoom has become almost a synonym for video-conferencing, home security is also getting a generic brand: Ring, the video doorbell that dominates the American market in smart-home security.
Acquired by Amazon in 2018 for close to a billion dollars, Ring’s technology is based on indoor and outdoor motion-detection cameras, combined with video recordings and optional sharing with law enforcement, neighbours or via social media. This has resulted in ongoing controversy around privacy issues, but Amazon has also disclosed that it has fired a number of Ring employees for improperly seeking access to customer data.
Meanwhile, sales are booming, and well over a third of American households classified as smart-homes have installed a video doorbell, according to Strategy Analytics.
The Ring revolution is now taking off in SA. The brand arrived here shortly before it was acquired by Amazon, with an initial focus on the retail market, but is now expanding with a business-to-business and business-to-consumer focus that relies heavily on a reseller and installer channel. The key selling point is that all Ring Africa’s offerings use high-definition cameras that connect to smartphones via a Ring app, and offer two-way talk, motion-activated recording, night vision, and a siren that can be activated from the app.
A Ring Indoor Cam can be mounted anywhere in the home, a Stickup Cam can be installed indoors or outdoors, and the core model, the Video Doorbell, allows one to interact with visitors — or intruders — from a smartphone, tablet and PC anywhere in the world. Compatible Ring Cams can be linked up to create an integrated, security system.
Our test of Ring Video Doorbell 3 highlighted both ease of installation and ease of use, but its biggest benefit — particularly in a time of intensified home deliveries — was the ability to screen visitors from anywhere. In dodgy situations, one can for example go as far as to share a video with a courier company to verify a visitor. It works even in the dark: infrared technology makes a night vision function possible.
‘Bakkie brigades’
“Our core vision is to keep the community safe,” says Gladwel Soko, sales business development manager for Ring in Southern Africa. However, Ring has also turned out to be a great platform for job creation, thanks to the need for physical installation, rather than merely plugging a device into a wall socket, as with most other consumer technology. It is probably one of the very few consumer technology devices that is shipped with a screwdriver included in the box.
“We have developed an installer channel that is making a lot of progress in getting the products into people’s homes, and offering installation services over and above the products themselves,” says Soko. “We have also brought in what would be called ‘bakkie brigades’. These are guys who go out and offer a completely different service but, as they do that, we are encouraging them to also offer Ring devices to their clientele.
“It’s a channel that’s growing fast. Some people have a phobia about going up a ladder and installing anything and of fastening anything against the wall. Even though we trumpet the message that our devices are DIY — it should be up and running in 10 to 15 minutes — you do have people who will say, just fix it here for me quickly. Especially because it’s a security device, they would want to make sure that when it’s done, it’s done.”
Soko has been in IT distribution for more than 20 years, working with the likes of Microsoft and Adobe, so he was able to take Ring’s transition to Amazon in his stride. With Amazon having primarily a business-to-business presence in SA, and its consumer devices mainly available as imports, Ring has blazed a small trail into the SA consumer space.
“We have a huge road map for SA. And there will be many more exciting products coming to this market. The idea is to complete the ecosystem. We want to protect you from your door to the peripheries of your property.”
• Goldstuck is founder of World Wide Worx and editor-in-chief of Gadget.co.za.
