Smart rings sound great on paper. They’re much smaller than smartwatches and more comfortable to wear for longer periods, including overnight. They also offer most of the health and workout features that we’ve come to expect from fitness trackers, like detailed sleep and heart-rate monitoring.
So, why aren’t smart rings more popular? It may be because the biggest tech brands have steered clear of them. But that could be about to change as a leading gadget maker is said to be entering the market.
For years, the internet has been abuzz with reports that Samsung is expanding beyond smartwatches with its very own smart ring. Now, we’ve received the best indication yet that the rumours are, in fact, true.
Samsung appears to have let slip that its smart ring is on the way. Signs pointing to the new product were found in the company’s Galaxy Wearable app, which lets you view data from the company’s smartwatches and wireless earphones.
Peering into the app’s hidden files, users initially spotted a ring icon last week. That was followed by references to a “Galaxy Ring” and a release date sometime in 2024, as uncovered by 9to5Google.
The same moniker previously popped up in a trademark application that was granted to Samsung in February. Over the years, the smart ring has been mentioned in a slew of legal documents and patents. These have alternately described it as a “smart device for measuring health indicators and/or sleep” and a wearable that can control Samsung appliances through hand gestures.
Wow, Galaxy ring is coming.
— Revegnus (@Tech_Reve) September 13, 2023
Korean users have examined the files of the Galaxy Wearable app and found an icon like this. It seems like the release of the Galaxy Ring is not far away. pic.twitter.com/F8eNLf4eHB
The 2024 release date also lends fuel to a recent rumour that claimed the smart ring would make an appearance at Samsung’s Unpacked event in January. The Korean firm normally unveils its biggest products at Unpacked, including its popular range of Galaxy S smartphones.
If Samsung were to debut the Galaxy Ring next year, it would be competing against a handful of smaller companies.
Arguably, the best known smart ring you can currently purchase is from Oura. The wearable has been namedropped by celebs and tech luminaries such as Prince Harry and Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey.
Samsung has patented the smart ring, you can bring this ring, operate the phone and watch in the air, and use various gestures to control the home appliance. pic.twitter.com/9VHC3IxZ51
— ICE UNIVERSE (@UniverseIce) August 31, 2018
Its latest device, the Oura Ring Gen3, can monitor your sleep, activity, recovery, temperature, heart rate, stress, and more. The battery lasts seven days and the ring is water-resistant and lightweight. It costs $349 (£280), plus a $5 (£4) monthly subscription.
If the Galaxy Ring is a hit, we may see more big names jump on the bandwagon. Samsung seems convinced that whatever it pioneers, Apple is sure to follow. So maybe we’ll even see an iRing that plays nice with the iPhone 15 and Apple Watch.
