Samsung aims to attract fitness and health-tracking enthusiasts with its latest wearable device, the Galaxy Ring.
Unveiled at the Galaxy Unpacked event on Wednesday, the Galaxy Ring joins Samsung’s ecosystem of devices, which the company says it is “supercharging” with artificial intelligence (AI).
Smart rings, equipped with tiny sensors to monitor various health metrics, have been a niche product until now. Their recent use by the England men’s football team brought them into the spotlight.
Samsung appears poised to change this, becoming the largest tech company to venture into the smart ring market.
Ben Wood, analyst at CCS Insight, says the product choice is an “interesting bet” for Samsung, with his company estimating that there will be a total global market of around four million smart rings in 2025.
“That is a rounding error when compared with 250 million smartwatches that are also expected to be sold,” he told the BBC.
But others suggest Samsung may help make smart rings more mainstream.
“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.
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.
What are smart rings?
Smart rings can track health indicators such as heart rate, sleep, and menstrual cycle.
Currently, the market is dominated by Finnish health tech firm Oura.
In recent years, these rings have become a fitness tech fashion staple for celebrities like Kim Kardashian.
With their small size and sleeker appearance, analysts suggest they could become the successors to smartwatches like the Apple Watch and Google Pixel Watch.
Samsung’s Galaxy Ring has been described as the company’s “smallest and most discreet product yet, offering accurate 24/7 health, wellness, and sleep tracking.”
While smartwatches typically have more sensors, allowing them to provide a wider range of health data, smart rings offer a “less intrusive” alternative. They are convenient, comfortable, and stylish, especially for those who prefer not to wear a bulky smartwatch overnight to track sleep patterns, according to Mr. Jeronimo.
The Galaxy Ring is compatible with Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones running Android 11 or above and will be available for £399 in the UK starting 24 July.
Dr. Efpraxia Zamani, associate professor of information systems at Durham University, told the BBC that Samsung’s Galaxy Ring, as part of a broader ecosystem of products providing health and wellbeing insights, may be an “attractive offering” for many consumers. However, she cautioned users to remain aware of what data is being collected, how it is being used, and where it is shared.
“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,” she said.
The collection of data related to menstrual cycles has been controversial in the past.
Last year, the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office launched a review of period and fertility tracking apps due to data security concerns.