Amazon has agreed to purchase video doorbell manufacturer Ring for $1 billion, according to Reuters, leading some to believe the online retail giant is poised to enter home security, if not also more easily enter homes to deliver packages.
Amazon, which bought Whole Foods for $13.7 billion last year, invested venture capital to the Santa Monica, calif.-based Ring several years ago, and Ring already integrates with Amazon’s Echo Show, which allows homeowners to see who is at their front door. This $1 billion acquisition makes Ring one of Amazon’s largest purchases.
Ring was founded in 2012 with just a Wi-Fi-enabled video doorbell that homeowners could monitor from an app on their smartphones. It now offers many other products, such as security cameras, home alarms and Wi-Fi-enabled smoke detectors and flood sensors.
“Ring’s home security products and services have delighted customers since day one,” an Amazon spokesman said in a statement. “We’re excited to work with this talented team and help them in their mission to keep homes safe and secure.”
After having acquired Blink, a maker of home security cameras and video doorbells, about two months ago, Amazon seems to be doubling down on its efforts to enter and even dominate in the home security market.
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