Leveraging its extensive network of over 100 million cameras, Amazon-owned Ring is poised to capitalize on its significant market presence with the introduction of a new app store. This initiative aims to broaden the capabilities of its cameras, initially targeting sectors such as elder care, workforce analytics, and rental property management. The platform will enable developers of all scales to integrate into Ring’s ecosystem, thereby reaching a vast customer base.
First unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, the app store’s launch aligns with Ring’s strategic expansion beyond residential smart doorbells and cameras into solutions designed for businesses. Crucially, this new store is powered by advancements in AI technology, which can harness Ring’s real-world audio and visual data to provide specific, actionable insights for users in diverse scenarios.
For instance, Density, a SoftBank-backed launch partner, offers the "Routines" app, which focuses on elder care. This application utilizes Ring cameras to assist families in monitoring elderly relatives, such as aging parents, by providing alerts for potential issues like falls or deviations from established routines.
Another application, from QueueFlow, is designed to help businesses accurately assess wait times and manage congestion in environments where people queue, including event venues, restaurants, service desks, and waiting rooms.
Minut's app provides a solution for Airbnb hosts, enabling them to monitor their accommodations. This app integrates with Minut’s existing camera-less sensors, which track factors like excessive noise levels and temperature fluctuations.
Ring founder and CEO Jamie Siminoff explains that the core objective is to expand the functionality of Ring cameras beyond their traditional role of providing homeowner security.
“With AI, there’s just an incredible amount of long tail use cases,” Siminoff informed TechCrunch. He added, “We are unlocking value that our customers have invested in, in things that…all of us together never thought we could do.”
However, certain areas will be restricted within the app store due to increasing consumer apprehension regarding surveillance technology, an issue that has previously affected Ring. Following the introduction of features like lost pet tracking or wildfire monitoring, customers became more aware of the extensive capabilities of these cameras, raising concerns about a future where individuals might be perpetually tracked, recorded, and even identified by AI-powered camera systems.
Acknowledging the potential for similar negative public perception with its app store, Siminoff confirmed that the platform's terms will prohibit applications that incorporate privacy-invasive features, such as facial recognition tools or license plate readers.
“We’re trying to be careful to make sure that it is being used for…apps that deliver value to the customer,” he stated regarding the Ring app store. “Certainly, we have to listen to what’s happening out in the market and the scrutiny.”
In response to previous customer backlash, Ring recently terminated its partnership with Flock Safety, a developer of AI-powered cameras that share footage with law enforcement. This collaboration would have allowed agencies using Flock to request footage from Ring doorbell and camera owners. Ring itself has a documented history of sharing data with police and has faced criticism from privacy advocates in recent months concerning new partnerships with law enforcement and companies like Axon.
Ring’s new app store will be accessible through the existing Ring application on both iOS and Android devices. Initially, its availability will be limited to customers in the U.S. before a broader rollout. Notably, integrating these new apps into a Ring setup will not utilize the platform’s existing in-app purchase payment systems.
This approach means Ring will avoid paying commissions to Apple or Google when customers choose to enhance their Ring experience with tools from partner developers.
Siminoff clarifies that this is because Ring is not directly distributing these applications; users will typically need to download the partner’s app from a conventional app store to access the new functionalities. Furthermore, the Ring app itself will not undergo modifications to incorporate these partners’ new features directly.
Nonetheless, this strategy represents an innovative method to cultivate an app ecosystem independent of smartphone app stores, while still benefiting from Ring’s widespread distribution on iOS and Android platforms.
“It’s not just that Ring is doing an app store. It’s that Ring has a lot of cameras out there, and so therefore it is a big enough surface area that if [developers] do write something, [they] can get a decent number of customers and have a hopefully successful business,” Siminoff articulated.
Regarding monetization, Ring will earn a commission on sales when it directs a customer to one of its partners. Currently, this fee is set at 10%. However, Ring has indicated openness to various business models beyond subscriptions, including one-time fees or even free, ad-supported apps, should customer demand support them.
At launch, approximately 15 applications are available, with many more currently in development, according to the company. Developers interested in submitting their apps for consideration can do so via Ring’s dedicated developer website.
Among the other apps available at launch are WhatsThatBird.AI, a bird identification app; memories.ai, a risk and security detection app covering events like fires, smoke, falls, and leaks; Lumeo, an app for businesses offering alerts and people counting; LawnWatch, for lawn health monitoring; ProxView, for business loitering detection; StoreTraffic, for traffic and line monitoring; Package Protect, for package delivery tracking; and Amazon’s proprietary app, Cheer Chime, which signals when a person leaves a tip at checkout.
“I would say that the goal by the end of the year is that there’s hundreds of apps in tens of verticals,” Siminoff concluded.
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