Amazon has announced 10 new connected camera products coming to Australia, including 4K, AI-powered surveillance cameras for its premium Ring brand, and sharper, wider options for its lower cost Blink ecosystem. But as video doorbells have become almost ubiquitous, and connected surveillance cameras inside and outside the home continue to grow in popularity, it’s worth reflecting on what utility they actually provide. The Ring Outdoor Camera Pro, like the other new products, use AI to tune their video over the first few weeks. Early connected cameras were more or less only good for peeking into your loungeroom, or out to your backyard or front porch, without actually needing to be there. But these days vision from home cameras is generally processed in real time whether you’re watching or not, to inform you of what’s going on.