Samsung has just announced that it will introduce a cool new device: the Samsung Galaxy Ring. You can guess a little about it from the name (for example, because it's round and fits your finger), but not much else is known.
Shortly after it was announced in January, I got to see it, try it out, and ask a lot of questions about it. That's what I've learned.
“First of all, nothing is certain,” Dr. warned me. Hong Park, digital health group leader at Samsung Electronics. The design of the ring I try on my finger can change beyond recognition, with a different look, different color, different material. So think of them as prototypes.
see and feel it
The rings I saw and felt came in a variety of colors and finishes, including bright gold and subtle dark tones. I was told that the ring is made of titanium, which explains why it is so light. It weighs almost the same as the Oura ring I wear every day at 0.14 ounces or 4 grams, so it's the same range. This is important: One of the main features of smart rings is that they should be light and not too flashy to wear at night, so people who think smartwatches are too heavy to wear at night can keep track of their size.
That's part of Samsung's goal. Dr. Park explains: "As you can imagine, especially with the Ring, a wearable device is only as useful as the person using it." If people don't use it, then it doesn't matter.
The design is simple but distinctive, with, at least for now, a slightly concave channel on the outside. That's good. In fact, it's so good that I think you could touch it with your finger instead of digging your fingernail into the recesses of the Oura ring. With the Oura, an added benefit is that it allows me to hold the ring on my finger in the optimal orientation for the sensors to work. The Galaxy Ring prototype has no such anchor.
When displayed, the trough appears thinner and less prominent than in the image above.
Feature
Samsung remains secretive about which metrics the ring will measure. Sleep tracking seems easy, and maybe blood oxygen tracking too. The Korean FDA has approved Samsung's method for monitoring sleep apnea, so this is likely a focus for Ring as well.
Dr. Park said the ring's readings have comparable accuracy to what the Galaxy Watch can handle, although he didn't say which watch dimensions would be included in the ring.
It's clear that Samsung is serious about monitoring our health in detail. Dr. Park said: "The general trend in wearable devices is that what was once on-demand is becoming more passive and no longer measured in the background." As this happens with more features, I think the patterns become clearer that we didn't even notice. . What's happening is that these wearable devices are giving us context we've never known before.
Release date
Samsung's official statement is that it will remain like that this year too. To answer the question “Is it the first half or the second half?” » The answer is yes. Seriously, Dr. Pak said this would likely happen in the second half of 2024. There was no price indication.
You can also read a detailed article about Gianhoy McGregor's Galaxy Ring here on Forbes.
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