Amazon's Ring Joins Z-Wave Alliance Board, Pushes Simplicity in Security Device Setup

Amazon’s Ring home security company joined the Z-Wave Alliance as a principal member and will take a board seat, said the association Tuesday. Ring President Mike Harris cited the alliance’s work toward interoperability, security and simplicity in the smart home and said the company will work with active alliance members and the board on new ways to make smart home security more accessible to a broader consumer base. Ring’s Alarm Security Kit -- with a base station, contact sensor, motion detector, keypad and range extender -- comprise the first product set to support SmartStart (see 1709270006), a feature designed to simplify setup that’s required for devices built on the new Z-Wave 700 platform. The alliance also announced a change to certification for the next generation of Z-Wave IoT devices, saying Z-Wave Plus v2 certification includes new features designed to improve the smart home setup experience. Other alliance board members include ADT, Alarm.com, Silicon Labs and SmartThings.