Samsung is the first tech giant to enter the “smart ring” game with the new Galaxy Ring. Smart wearables, now smaller and with a ring, attract health and fitness gurus because of their tracking technology. Samsung launched the Galaxy Ring during the Galaxy Unpacked event in early July.

Galaxy Ring

Samsung is the first tech giant to launch a smart ring; Photo: Samsung.

The Galaxy Ring is among the devices that Samsung says are “supercharged” with artificial intelligence. Smart rings, a relatively new concept, use tiny sensors to monitor health metrics. Samsung is the largest tech company that has developed a smart ring, which, up until now, has been a niche device. However, the England national soccer team wore a smart ring during the Euro 2024, shining a brighter light on the wearable.

Ben Wood is an analyst at CCS Insight and tells BBC News that the Galaxy Ring is an “interesting bet” for Samsung. According to the BBC, his company predicts a global market of around four million smart rings in 2025.

He told the BBC, “That is a rounding error when compared with 250 million smartwatches that are also expected to be sold.”

However, others suggest this actually helps the smart ring market because of Samsung’s name. Francisco Jeronimo, an analyst for market research firm IDC, told the BBC, “For most consumers, the smart ring from Samsung will be the first contact they will have in the smart ring, and that top of mind awareness makes a huge difference in the long-term.”

Samsung officials say the product is a “huge moment” for the company.

What Do Smart Rings Do?

Smart rings could be a more comfortable alternative to smartwatches; Photo: Samsung.

Smart rings track important health indicators such as heart rate, sleep, and menstrual cycle. Right now, the Finnish tech firm Oura dominates the market. However, analysts predict that the rings will surpass other wearables, like watches, because of their sleek design and small size. For example, wearing a ring instead of a watch when you sleep is more comfortable. It helps that the rings are a bit more “fashionable” among influencers. Oura rings have become a staple among fitness influencers in recent years.

James Kitto, vice president and head of Samsung’s mobile division in the UK & Ireland, said the Galaxy Ring is the “smallest and most discrete product yet, offering accurate 24/7 health, wellness and sleep tracking.”

More sensors allow smartwatches to access and provide a wider range of data. However, according to Jeronimo, smart rings are “less intrusive” and provide a convenient, comfortable, and stylish alternative.

Samsung says the device connects with Android phones operating on Android 11 or above if you have the Android Health app. However, some of the Galaxy AI tools are only available on Galaxy devices. While this interconnected ecosystem of devices may attract users, an associate professor of information systems at Durham University told the BBC that consumers should be wary of the data collected and how it’s used and stored.

Dr. Efpraxia Zamani said, “Being part of an ecosystem, it means that data can be collected from the ring, from the watch, from the phone, and then, when put together, this can have even more negative impacts alongside the positive ones.”

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