Samsung is advancing its wearable technology with the introduction of new AI-powered devices aimed at health monitoring.
Smart ring by Samsung
Good development in the wearables landscape but pricyhttps://t.co/RJKezFAxkb pic.twitter.com/quytajiubb— Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh (@K_KalantarZadeh) July 11, 2024
The company unveiled its first-ever premium smartwatch, the Galaxy Watch Ultra, and a smart ring known as the Galaxy Ring. The Galaxy Watch Ultra costs $650, nearly twice as much as Samsung’s latest standard model, the Galaxy Watch 7, which retails for $350.
The Galaxy Ring is priced at $400. Artificial intelligence in these devices enhances the ability to collect and analyze biometric data, offering users personalized health assessments.
I'd been holding out hope that Samsung would play nice, rather than take a page out of Apple's exclusivity book. Instead, it appears the company is using the Galaxy Ring to fortify its own walled garden. https://t.co/7Q8LCkOdlp
— Abrar Al-Heeti (@alheeti_3) July 10, 2024
This includes an “energy score” that rates users on a 1-to-100 scale and provides recommendations like a virtual fitness coach.
The Galaxy Watch Ultra can flag sleep apnea, a feature not present in the Galaxy Ring. Samsung’s health app, which pairs with these wearable devices, already has over 60 million users. The Galaxy Ring is notable for its longer battery life, lasting six to seven days on a single charge.
"Samsung becomes first tech giant to launch a smart ring"
Still very niche, but interesting space to watch.
I've tried both the Oura and Ultrahuman rings, and both are great smart devices. https://t.co/b72qM37O4h— Dinesh Govender (@dineshgovender) July 11, 2024
Smart rings are still considered a niche market led by startups like Oura and RingConn. Still, Gartner Inc. forecasts that the segment will grow from $2.4 billion this year to approximately $4.6 billion by 2028. Samsung is also expanding its foldable phone lineup with the new Galaxy Z Fold 6, priced at $1,899.99.
"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," says Francisco Jeronimo, analyst for market research firm @IDC."https://t.co/G3zR9UUeUL
— Francisco Jeronimo (@fjeronimo) July 11, 2024
This device combines two display screens into a single unit that can be used as a tablet. Samsung faces challenges beyond product development. Unionized workers in South Korea have launched an indefinite strike, demanding higher wages and better benefits.
Despite this, Samsung reports no production disruptions. The Galaxy Ring’s hardware is impressive. It comes in three colors: gold, silver, and black, all made with a titanium frame.
At 7mm wide and 2.6mm thick, it’s slim and lightweight, weighing between 2.3 and 3 grams. The ring is available in nine sizes, ranging from size five to 13, and boasts 10ATM of water resistance and an IP68 rating. The Galaxy Ring’s charging case has a futuristic transparent design with LED indicators.
The case holds 1.5 times the charge; a full charge takes about 80 minutes. The rings’ battery life is six to seven days, depending on the size. Samsung offers a sizing kit to ensure a perfect fit, as fingers can swell and sizes may vary across different rings.
The kit can be ordered online.
Samsung’s new Galaxy Ring features
The Galaxy Ring is primarily a health tracker with an accelerometer, an optical heart rate sensor, and a skin temperature sensor.
It tracks sleep, heart rate data, and activity. Samsung introduces new Galaxy AI-powered metrics such as the Energy Score and the Wellness Tips feature for personalized health insights. Other health features include cycle tracking, heart rate alerts, live heart rate readings, auto workout detection, and inactive alerts.
The ring will not support features like FDA-cleared sleep apnea detection or irregular heart rhythm notifications, which are reserved for Galaxy Watches. The ring will be Android-exclusive and offer the best experience within Samsung’s ecosystem. Features like Energy Score and Find My Ring will require a Galaxy phone, allowing data sharing between the Galaxy Watch and Ring.
The Galaxy Ring includes a double pinch gesture to control the camera or dismiss alarms when using a Samsung phone. This feature will initially be available on the Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 and is expected to come to the S24 soon. Samsung is hoping to lure fitness and health-tracking technology lovers with the Galaxy Ring.
Smart rings use tiny sensors to monitor various health metrics and have been a niche product until now. Their recent use by the England men’s football team made headlines, and it seems Samsung is attempting to change the landscape, becoming the largest tech company yet to enter the smart ring market. Ben Wood, an analyst at CCS Insight, describes the product choice as an “interesting bet” for Samsung, estimating a global market of around four million smart rings in 2025.
Others suggest Samsung may help make smart rings more mainstream. James Kitto, vice president and head of Samsung’s mobile division in the UK & Ireland, heralded the ring’s launch as a “huge moment” for the company. Smart rings can track health indicators such as heart rate, sleep, and the menstrual cycle.
Finnish health tech firm Oura currently dominates the market. Analysts believe they could become the successor to smartwatches like the Apple Watch and Google Pixel Watch due to their small size and sleek appearance. Kitto described Samsung’s Galaxy Ring as its “smallest and most discrete product yet, offering accurate 24/7 health, wellness, and sleep tracking.” While smartwatches typically have more sensors, enabling a broader range of health data, the “less intrusive” smart rings offer a convenient, comfortable, and stylish alternative for those who do not wish to wear a bulky smartwatch, particularly overnight, to track their sleep patterns.
Samsung states the device will work with Android phones operated by Android 11 or above, provided you have the Samsung Health app. Some Galaxy AI features, such as obtaining an Energy Score and personalized suggestions based on your data, are only available on a Galaxy device. Dr.
Efpraxia Zamani, associate professor of information systems at Durham University, explained that Samsung’s Galaxy Ring, as part of a wider ecosystem of products providing insights into users’ health and wellbeing, may be an “attractive offering” for many consumers. However, she warned users of such products to be wary of what data is being collected and how and where it is shared. Collecting data related to the menstrual cycle has proven controversial due to data security concerns.
Noah Nguyen is a multi-talented developer who brings a unique perspective to his craft. Initially a creative writing professor, he turned to Dev work for the ability to work remotely. He now lives in Seattle, spending time hiking and drinking craft beer with his fiancee.
