RING UNVEILS SMART LOCK WITH HAND-CRANK BACKUP POWER

Amazon's Ring has announced its first smart lock, featuring a built-in crank that generates emergency power if the battery dies. The device, called the Ring Smart Lock, uses a supercapacitor built into its thumbturn, which Ring says can be charged with a few turns to provide roughly 20 seconds of operation. Ring founder and chief executive Jamie Siminoff presented the lock during a private demonstration, saying the crank works even with the battery completely removed. Siminoff said he was surprised that most smart locks still rely on physical keys as a backup, which he described as "medieval" in their simplicity and fallibility. The lock is expected to go on sale in the US in early 2027, pending approval from the Federal Communications Commission, in black, silver and brass finishes priced at $249, according to Amazon.

The crank is designed to replace other emergency backup methods used by rival smart locks, such as hidden USB-C ports or metal contacts for attaching a 9-volt battery, which require users to carry or store extra equipment. Supercapacitors store energy electrostatically rather than through chemical reactions, allowing them to charge quickly from physical cranking, though only for a short period. The Ring Smart Lock offers unlocking via a fingerprint reader and a backlit touchscreen keypad, and supports multiple registered users with scheduled or temporary access codes that expire automatically. It does not require wiring, running instead on Ring's replaceable Quick Release Ultra Battery Pack.

Rather than connecting via home Wi-Fi, the lock communicates using Amazon's Pavement network, a low-power, long-range wireless system, which Ring says could keep remote access and entry alerts working during Wi-Fi outages where Pavement coverage is available. Users will also be able to lock, unlock and monitor the device through the Ring app or by voice command via Alexa-compatible devices such as Echo speakers. Amazon has not specified exactly how many crank turns are needed to generate sufficient backup power. The product remains subject to regulatory approval ahead of its planned 2027 US launch.