Ring Intercom Brings Smart Entry Control to Apartments

Ring has added a new device to its smart home security lineup, and this one’s specifically aimed for those who are living in apartments and who’ve previously been left out of the smart doorbell conversation. Ring Intercom works with compatible building intercom systems, giving residents the ability to see and speak to whoever’s buzzing their building entrance, plus grant remote access whether they’re home or halfway across the world. Ring’s also rolling out new features for the device through its Ring Protect subscription plans.

The core appeal of Ring Intercom is straightforward: it puts control of your building entrance in your pocket. Through Live Video View and Two-Way Talk, you can see and speak to visitors and grant them access directly from the Ring App, whether you’re on the couch or away travelling. Pair it with an Echo Show device and you get hands-free video monitoring and communication thrown into the mix too, which is a nice touch for anyone who’s already invested in the Amazon ecosystem.

Missed deliveries are one of those small annoyances that add up, especially in apartment buildings where couriers can’t always get past the front entrance. Ring Intercom tackles this with its streaming feature, letting you visually confirm who’s at the door before unlocking it remotely. There’s also the option to grant automatic, temporary access for Amazon drivers specifically, which should mean fewer “sorry we missed you” cards left behind.

For record-keeping, Visitor Snapshot automatically captures an image every time someone buzzes the intercom, and the 180-day video history gives a longer-term log of who’s been coming and going. Both of these sit behind a Ring Protect subscription, worth noting if you’re budgeting for the full feature set.

Quick Replies is letting you send preset messages to visitors when you can’t answer in person. Telling a delivery driver where to leave a parcel or letting a guest know you’ll be back shortly are the kind of small conveniences that make a real difference day to day.

In-app calls and Quick Replies are included with Ring Intercom out of the box, no subscription required. Stepping up to a Ring Protect plan, starting at AU$4.95 per month, unlocks the likes of Video History, Visitor Snapshot, and Voicemail. It’s a fairly low bar of entry for the extra functionality, and for renters in particular, that monthly cost is probably easier to justify than dealing with a poorly managed building intercom system.

Speaking of renters, Ring Intercom is built for DIY installation, with setup taking under 45 minutes and no structural changes needed to the property.