We're less than a week away from the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event and the official launch of the Samsung Galaxy Ring.
Because this will be the first smart ring from a mega tech company, expectations are understandably high for the Galaxy Ring, which will not only have to compete against the well-established Oura Ring generation 3 but also the Amazfit Helio Ring, the Ultrahuman Ring Air and the Movano Evie.
Most of the above smart rings cost around $300. Some require a monthly subscription, while others don't. What does this mean for the Samsung Galaxy Ring? More specifically, will it be priced to compete? And will users need to shell out additional monthly dough to use it? We have answers and predictions.
Samsung Galaxy Ring price predictions
Galaxy Ring pricing details are not yet public, but recent leaks suggest that the device may cost between $300 and $350. This would put the Galaxy Ring in the same ballpark as the Oura Ring Gen 3 Heritage model ($299) and the sleeker Horizon model ($349).
The recently launched Amazfit Helio Ring also costs $299 while the Ultrahuman Ring Air starts at $349. Meanwhile, the Evie Ring is the most affordable at $269 (but also out of stock everywhere).
Of course, it's still possible that Samsung will price the Galaxy Ring higher than the competition. Or, we may see certain finishes come with a more premium price tag, like the gold or silver editions.
If the Galaxy Ring offers features beyond what the other devices are capable of then a higher price tag would be pretty easy to justify. For example, none of the above models support NFC payments or gesture controls for other smart devices — two features the Galaxy Ring may very well boast.
Samsung Galaxy Ring: Subscription fees or no?
Beyond launch price, the next biggest question is whether or not Samsung will require users to sign up for a subscription to access all of the Galaxy Ring's features and data.
We know that the device is meant to pair with the free Samsung Health app. What we don't know is if Samsung intends to launch a premium version of said app with recurring costs.
According to Android Authority, some prominent leakers expect the Galaxy Ring to require a $10 monthly subscription, but I'm not so sure. For one, $10 is considerably more than the Oura Ring's $5.99/month pricing (or $69.99 for the year).
Samsung additionally doesn't require a subscription fee to use the Galaxy Watch's health tracking tech, which gives me hope that Galaxy Ring users too will be spared the pain of a recurring fee.
Furthermore, neither the Ultrahuman Air, the Evie Ring nor the Helio Ring require a subscription to use core features, though the latter offers additional insights if you sign up for one.
Samsung Galaxy Ring: All the pricing rumors so far
Ultimately, we'll know soon enough the answers to these vexing Samsung Galaxy Ring pricing questions and so much more. Stay tuned for a full launch day rundown of everything you need to know including all the health, fitness and smart features, battery life claims, durability rating and more.
Until then, fingers crossed for a competitive launch price and zero subscription costs.
