While smartwatches and fitness bands are the most popular devices for tracking health metrics, there’s one place that the major wearable players haven’t quite explored: smart rings.
Products like the Oura Ring (pictured above) unobtrusively track usual metrics like calories burned, steps, heart rate, and sleep, and competitors like the Ultrahuman ring even claim to monitor metabolism. They do this while offering the kind of battery life that most smartwatches can only dream of because there’s no screen to turn them on – always on or otherwise.
It now appears that Samsung is considering taking a strong position with its own smart ring. According to the Korean website navigator (Opens in a new tab)Samsung has received its own patent on the design of the wearable smart ring.
Interestingly, it will apparently not only track the usual metrics, but will also include an ECG sensor to look for arrhythmias – a potentially life-saving feature that most smartwatches like the Apple Watch Series 8 and even the new Google Pixel Watch bring.
A market worth exploring?
It’s fair to say that smart rings haven’t become as popular yet in the same way that the best smartwatches and fitness trackers are, but the question is why. Do people miss owning a screen, or do they feel weird about something that traditionally needs to ship purely aesthetic jewelry?
Another possibility: aren’t they on every finger because the big player in the wearable market hasn’t sold one yet? Smartwatches became very popular only when Apple joined the party in 2015 (Opens in a new tab)After all, perhaps Samsung’s access to the smart ring space could suddenly make it an essential accessory.
They definitely have advantages over mainstream wearables. Battery life is not only measured in days due to the lack of a screen, but it is much more discreet than even the simplest smartwatches. Small and lightweight, you might forget you’re wearing one, and it’s perfect for those who passively like to track their steps, sleep and exercise.
It’s probably these qualities that mean Samsung – and Google’s owned Fitbit – are showing some interest in smart rings. However, it is important to remember that a patent application is not necessarily evidence that a company will turn an idea into a commercially available product. All it shows is that Samsung is exploring the possibility, so don’t start saving up for a Galaxy Ring just yet.
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