Amazon buys smart doorbell company Ring for more than $1bn

Amazon has bought smart doorbell start-up Ring for more than $1bn, according to a report from Reuters.

The apparent sale will further fuel speculation that the ecommerce giant is looking to develop its own in-house delivery network.

The Ring Video Doorbell lets people answer the door from anywhere with their smartphone or tablet.

In an email statement to CNBC, Ring's spokesperson confirmed the deal, saying: "We'll be able to achieve even more by partnering with an inventive, customer-centric company like Amazon.

SEE ALSO:

• S&P: Amazon delivery not a threat to 3PLs in "near-term"

• Analysis: Amazon sets sights on in-house delivery, takes aim at 3PLs

• Which 20 cities are in the running for Amazon's HQ2?

“We look forward to being a part of the Amazon team as we work toward our vision for safer neighbourhoods."

Amazon's spokesperson also confirmed the deal, saying: “Ring's home security products and services have delighted customers since day one. We're excited to work with this talented team.”

A report by Geekwire revealed that “Amazon is expected to treat the Ring deal similar to past acquisitions such as Zappos, Twitch and Audible, pursuing product and feature integrations where appropriate but maintaining the Ring brand and largely allowing the company to continue operating as it has in the past.”