Samsung has been selling smartwatches for more than a decade. But at its Unpacked event on Wednesday, we got a glimpse at what’s next for Samsung’s wearables line: the Galaxy Ring.
Smart rings aren’t new, although they’re not as popular as smartwatches. The Oura ring is a favorite of celebrities like Kim Kardashian, and Movano’s Evie smart ring was designed with women’s health in mind, which my colleague Bridget Carey recently put to the test. But Samsung’s entry into the smart ring market suggests tiny devices worn around the finger that can gather health metrics may be more than just a niche device for celebrities and athletes.
For Samsung, the Galaxy Ring is just one part of the company’s broader goal to create a network of devices that can feed information into the Samsung Health app, painting a fuller picture of our habits.
“I think you should look at the ring as one of many steps towards multi-device engagement,” said Hon Pak, vice president and head of the digital health team for the mobile experience business at Samsung Electronics.
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The Galaxy Ring looks just like an ordinary piece of jewelry at first glance, until you notice the tiny sensors and electronics strewn across the inner lining. The version of the Galaxy Ring that I saw was a prototype, but I was told that it generally reflects the appearance of the model that will eventually go on sale. I wasn’t allowed to photograph the ring, but I tried on all three colors: silver, dark gray and gold. The ring felt larger than typical women’s jewelry but was surprisingly light on my finger. Like the Oura ring, the design itself is sleek and minimalist and almost looks like a traditional groom’s wedding band.
There’s a lot we don’t know about the Galaxy Ring yet, such as when it will launch, how much it will…
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