Wearable tech: Samsung is too late to the smart ring party

I am laughing at how late Samsung decided to enter the smart ring party, almost 10 years late.

It’s been so long since the introduction of the world’s first smart ring, the first generation of the Ōura Ring, almost a decade ago, that I find it funny that a leading company such as Samsung is entering the smart ring party so late.

With its third generation launched in 2023, the world’s first smart ring was the innovative Ōura Ring, conceived and launched by Finnish company Ōura Health Oy. The Ōura Ring was introduced back in 2015. And yes, I was there. I was there twice: for the introduction in Finland and the launch in the U.K.. It was a great deal. It was the first wearable of its kind.

Ōura Health has filed over 300 patents for its Ōura Ring. The Ōura Ring has over one million registered users worldwide. It is an actual miniature piece of well designed jewellery made of titanium, with lots of smart sensors and a fantastic health application to manage all your data. The device was conceived as a health, wellbeing, movement, sleep tracking device and more.

Samsung announcing a smart ring after so long it’s really funny. I have written pretty harsh articles about Samsung in the past during its patent wars with Apple. I am looking forward to seeing what the Galaxy Ring will bring.

What about an Apple Ring?

An Apple Ring? I might be wrong, but I don't think there will be an Apple smart ring. Other than in a parallel universe, I don’t think Apple is seriously considering coming up with an Apple smart ring. Apple is, indeed, a real innovator. Apple opens parties. Apple doesn’t come late to a party. Any party. That includes the smart ring party.

Unless, such ring could teleport you into a different environment or do something incredibly different of all that already exists. Apple is not a copycat. Apple innovates. Apple creates markets. Apple thinks different.

It makes no sense for Apple to create a competitor to its own Apple Watch. But, perhaps they do it as a simplified version only targeting health and to pair it with the Apple Watch. Apple is quite devoted to its Apple Health division. What would be the benefits of an Apple smart ring? Perhaps to leave the Apple Watch at home when going out for a run? So you don’t get notifications of any sort and truly engage in your physical activity only? Perhaps.

As for Apple mixing with the Android bunch, there is zero chance that will ever happen. Apple would lose its identity. Apple would stop being Apple.

In fact, why would Apple do such a thing? There is no reason for it from any point of view. An Apple product is meant to join the Apple ecosystem. That’s the whole point of any Apple product. That’s why both Apple hardware and software work so well; they are in harmony.

There is no room for anything Android contaminating the purity of Apple. I can’t even imagine such a thing happening ever. Something like that could only exist in the late Steve Jobs worst nightmare.

Also, there is no point in comparing a smart ring to a smart watch because they are totally different devices conceived and designed for different uses. They do different things in different ways. They may be paired and work together but that’s all.

Why now, Samsung?

Dear Samsung,

The Samsung Galaxy Ring is rumoured to be released in the second half of 2024. This means that perhaps are finally ready to launch your new wearable in August, when you usually announce your foldable phones during your second annual Galaxy event.

“By bringing Samsung Health’s cutting-edge innovations to a brand-new form factor, we’ve created a powerful and accessible health and wellness device here to change and reshape the future of health like only Samsung can,” a Samsung Digital Health team executive said last month, according to PCMagazine U.K..

Well, not really, Samsung. What cutting-age innovation are you talking about? Smart rings have been in the market since Ōura Health introduced its first generation of Ōura ring back in 2017. After that, others have joined the smart ring party. But you didn’t. So, why now, Samsung?

How do you expect to “reshape the future of health” with your smart ring differently than what the Ōura ring has done so far? I really want to see something that I have not seen before. Especially after all these years since the first smart ring created the smart ring category within the smart wearables umbrella.

This Galaxy Ring will only make some waves in the smart wearables market if it delivers some actual innovation, something we have not seen before, and not just a copycat of the original world’s first smart ring released years ago.

Let’s see if you can surprise me this time. I’ll be checking on your patents, too, giving the history of patent conflicts that you have been involved in the past.

Kindly,

-Susan

Susan Fourtané is a Science and Technology Journalist with 18 years of experience covering technology, research on emerging technologies, vintage technology, future technologies, and innovation. She has been an active witness of the birth of many technologies and products, including the world’s first smart ring: the Ōura Ring, years ago.