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Amazon has just unveiled a fresh batch of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered features for its Blink security cameras, and they won't cost you a penny extra. If you're not familiar with Blink, it's Amazon's budget-friendly home security option.
The shopping giant snapped up Blink back in 2017, and it's been positioned as the more wallet-friendly choice compared to Ring, which Amazon also owns.
The new features are being rolled out as part of what Amazon is calling the Blink AI tiers, promising improved accuracy and more detailed notifications to help you keep an eye on your property. It's similar to the AI features included with Ring's subscription tiers, but at a much lower price.
For comparison, a subscription to Blink starts at £5.49 with the new AI features, whereas a Ring subscription with similar capabilities costs £15.99 per month. If you were to subscribe to Blink, you'd save £126 each year.
And paying for one has several benefits, like providing vital cloud storage, letting you review and share past clips, and adding those advanced AI features to give you even more peace of mind.
Here's everything you need to know about Blink's new features, and how its subscription costs stack up against Ring.
Upgrade your home security with new AI features on the Blink Mini 2 security camera from Amazon
You can monitor your home day and night in colour with the Blink Mini 1080p HD indoor smart camera. Get instant motion alerts, customise detection zones, and see, hear, and speak to people or pets using two-way audio. Plus, you can view live HD video for up to 90 minutes with night vision anytime with a subscription, set up in minutes via Wi-Fi, and save clips for later. You can also control each Blink device with Amazon-powered Alexa hands-free.
Upgrade your home security with new AI features on the Blink Battery doorbell 2k+ from Amazon
The Blink Battery Doorbell 2K+ is designed to deliver sharp 2K video, a wide field of view, and smart motion alerts to help you stay connected to your home. With head-to-toe viewing, two-way audio, and colour night vision, the device lets you clearly see and speak to visitors day or night. Its wireless design installs in minutes, while long-lasting battery life provides reliable security without constant maintenance.
First up is Video Descriptions, which is a clever bit of tech that uses generative AI to create short text summaries of any motion picked up by your Blink doorbell or camera. It means you can quickly see what's going on at home without even opening the app.
Then there's Single Event Alert, which groups together multiple motion notifications into one handy alert. It compares video descriptions to spot similar activity, so you're not bombarded with repetitive pings.
Finally, Unusual Event Alert is designed to flag up anything out of the ordinary. If your camera spots something different from your home's normal activity patterns, you'll get a notification.
Ring already offers Video Descriptions, Single Event Alerts and Unusual Event Alerts as part of its expanding AI-powered security platform, alongside more advanced capabilities such as video search and familiar face recognition.
Blink now uses Video Descriptions, a generative AI feature that creates short text summaries of any motion captured by your Blink doorbell or camera. It means you can quickly see what's going on at home without even opening the app
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If you're already a Blink subscriber on a Basic or Plus plan, all your current features will remain unchanged. That means you'll continue to have access to video sharing, Live View recording, cloud storage, person detection, and Blink Moments.
However, the new AI-powered features are reserved for Blink's dedicated AI subscription tiers. To access Video Descriptions, Single Event Alert and Unusual Event Alert, you'll need to upgrade to either Basic AI or Plus AI.
For example, the Basic plan costs £2.50 per month for a single device, while Basic AI costs £5.49 per month. Similarly, the Plus plan, which covers all Blink devices on an account, costs £8.00 per month, while Plus AI is priced at £14.99 per month.
This approach differs somewhat from Ring's subscription strategy, where many newer AI-powered features are reserved for higher-tier plans. With Blink, Amazon is adding AI functionality while preserving existing subscription benefits, potentially offering users more value without requiring an upgrade.
As for Blink's new AI features, Video Descriptions are ready to use today. Single Event Alert and Unusual Event Alert will land later, though Amazon hasn't given specific dates yet.
Blink subscription tiers
| Plan | Devices Covered | Monthly Price | Annual Price | Existing Features Included | New AI Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | 1 Blink device | £2.50 | £24.99/year (Year 2+) | Video sharing, Live View recording, cloud video storage, person detection, Blink Moments | None |
| Basic AI | 1 Blink device | £5.49 | £34.99/year introductory; £54.99/year (Year 2+) | Everything in Basic | Video Descriptions, Single Event Alert*, Unusual Event Alert* |
| Plus | All Blink devices on one account | £8.00 | £80.00/year (Year 2+) | Video sharing, Live View recording, unlimited cloud storage, person detection, Blink Moments across all devices | None |
| Plus AI | All Blink devices on one account | £14.99 | £99.99/year introductory; £149.99/year (Year 2+) | Everything in Plus | Video Descriptions, Single Event Alert*, Unusual Event Alert* |
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Ring subscription tiers
| Plan | Devices Covered | Monthly Price | Annual Price | Core Features | AI Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ring Solo | 1 Ring device | £4.99 | £49.99 | Up to 180 days of video history, Person/Package/Vehicle Alerts, Extended Live View, Device Modes, Doorbell Calls | None included |
| Ring Multi | All Ring devices at one location | £7.99 | £79.99 | Everything in Solo for all devices at one address | None included |
| Ring Pro | All Ring devices at one location | £15.99 | £159.99 | Everything in Multi | Video Descriptions, Single Event Alert, Familiar Faces (beta), advanced intelligent event recognition and search features (Ring)-related AI features: |