Samsung enters smart ring market with Galaxy ring launch

Samsung has introduced its latest wearable device, the Galaxy Ring, at the Galaxy Unpacked event, aiming to attract fitness and health-tracking enthusiasts.

This smart ring, part of Samsung’s broader push to enhance its product ecosystem with AI, marks the company’s significant move into a niche market.

Smart rings, which track health metrics like heart rate and sleep, have so far remained a specialty product, but Samsung’s entry could change that.

Analyst Ben Wood from CCS Insight estimates a global market of four million smart rings by 2025, a small number compared to the 250 million smartwatches expected to be sold.

Nonetheless, Francisco Jeronimo from IDC believes Samsung’s influence could popularize smart rings.

James Kitto, head of Samsung’s mobile division in the UK & Ireland, highlighted the launch as a major milestone.

The Galaxy Ring is Samsung’s smallest and most discreet health-tracking device, designed to offer continuous monitoring of health, wellness, and sleep.

The device, compatible with Android phones running Android 11 or above, requires the Samsung Health app, with some features exclusive to Galaxy devices.

Dr. Efpraxia Zamani from Durham University pointed out that while the integration of health data from multiple devices can be appealing, it raises privacy concerns, particularly regarding sensitive information like menstrual cycle data.

Samsung’s venture into the smart ring market aims to make these devices mainstream, offering a stylish and less intrusive alternative to smartwatches while addressing privacy challenges.