Ring Video Doorbells could get pre-recorded messages like rivals Arlo and Google Nest Hello
Broadcast a preset response if you can’t get to the door
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Video Doorbells are a great way to put an end to missed deliveries or avoid the hassle of cold callers, and now it appears thatRing Video Doorbellsmight be about to get a little bit smarter with the addition of pre-recorded replies - a feature that rival doorbells fromArloandGoogle Nestalready offer.
According to smart home news websiteThe Ambient, a reader flagged that a section marked ‘Smart Responses’ had appeared in the settings section of the Ring Video Doorbell app. They said the icon featured a speech bubble radiating from the doorbell, indicating that it may soon be possible to select pre-recorded messages to play through the doorbell when it’s pressed.
However, the reader said that tapping the setting doesn’t currently do anything. We checked our own Ring Video Doorbell app here at TechRadar, and the setting wasn’t available.
Playing catch-up
Both Arlo’s wired video doorbell and Nest Hello already offer a similar feature. On the Arlo Video Doorbell, users who have an Arlo Smart subscription can choose to have a message broadcast through the doorbell’s speaker if the doorbell call hasn’t been answered within 20 seconds. However, unlike the Nest Hello, it doesn’t offer a choice of pre-recorded messages. WithGoogle’s video doorbell there are a number of pre-recorded messages including ‘We’ll be right there’ and ‘You can leave it’.
“We’re not commenting on this story,” Ring told TechRadar.
It’s not clear which Ring Video Doorbell this feature was seen to be available for, but we’d hope it would be rolled out to all of Ring’s doorbells. So as well as top-of-the-range devices like theRing Video Doorbell Proand theRing Video Doorbell Pro 3 Plus, we’d like to see it on the brand’s entry-level doorbells, including Ring’s recently announcedRing Video Doorbell Wired, which goes on sale at the end of this month and costs $59.99 / AU$119 / £49.
Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.
Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.
Carrie-Ann Skinner was formerly Homes Editor at TechRadar, and has more than two decades of experience in both online and print journalism, with 13 years of that spent covering all-things tech. Carrie specializes in smart home devices such as smart plugs and smart lights, as well as large and small appliances including vacuum cleaners, air fryers, stand mixers, and coffee machines. Carrie is now a copy editor at PWC.
Reolink Altas PT Ultra review: a security camera that’s great for continuously monitoring your property
Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam review: would make the perfect indoor security camera if it wasn’t missing this one key thing
Arcane season 2 finally gave us the huge Caitlyn and Vi moment we’ve been waiting for – and its creators say ‘we couldn’t have done it in season one’
