After a short On the heels of its big Galaxy S24 event earlier this month, Samsung officially unveiled the Galaxy Ring this morning at MWC. The previous announcement offered little more than a glimpse and confirmation that the hardware giant is entering this emerging corner of the wearable technology space.
After the Unpacked presser, the contest sent TechCrunch some unsolicited reactions to the news. Oura CEO Tom Hale noted: “New players entering the space are a validation for the category and push us to aim higher to serve our members and community. Circular co-founder and CEO Amaury Kosman said: “We are really pleased that Samsung has announced that it will bring the Samsung Galaxy Ring to market later this year. Having a big tech player like Samsung join the smart ring market really adds validation to the industry.”
Generally, when I get comments like this, I get the feeling that the affected company is complaining too much. Take the numerous cases of startups Sherlocked by Apple. Some variation of “we’re glad the big corporate giant is releasing a competing product” is usually said through gritted teeth and I wish they had diversified their portfolio much sooner.
I’m not entirely sure how my opinion here would be different if Apple entered the category, but I think it’s fair to say that the Galaxy Ring can rightly be considered a validation of the category. Samsung’s entry will undoubtedly eat into existing market share, but in the case of Oura, at least, this is confirmation that something is working. The company isn’t a household name, but it’s big enough to be practically synonymous with the smart ring category for many consumers. Oura can come out stronger than this.
Image Credits: Brian Heater
I should also point out that Hale noted: “Oura has the strongest IP portfolio – both hardware and software – for the smart ring form factor, with 100 granted patents, 270 pending patent applications and 130+ registered trademarks’. I’m certainly not implying that this is a veiled threat, but adjusting the number of patents could lead to a company ready to fight over potential IP infringements (assuming they exist here).
While the Galaxy Ring appeared on the MWC floor today, we’re still waiting a lot here in terms of details. What I can tell you is that Samsung is really into business with its health offerings. Ultimately, the ring form factor limits the functionality a bit against a smartwatch. You won’t be sending and receiving emails from your ring any time soon, for example, but the finger placement makes it suitable for offering rich activity and sleep metrics.
“One of the biggest challenges facing the healthcare industry today is fragmented data and how to bring it all together,” notes Samsung Vice President Hon Pak. “Samsung is uniquely positioned to take this on with one of the largest, most diverse ecosystems of connected devices. Now with Samsung Health, we’re connecting disparate devices and collaborative solutions into a cohesive platform, making it easier to track health conditions on a Galaxy wearable.”
In that sense, the Galaxy Ring sits above the health offerings Samsung has built through its smartphones and popular Galaxy Watch series. Smart rings and smart watches have been seen by many as an either-or proposition. I’m sure some people rock both an Apple Watch and the Oura Ring, but it’s undoubtedly considered overkill by many. I’m curious how that math might change when smartwatches and smart rings are made by the same company with the same health offerings.
Perhaps the Galaxy Ring could be seen as a way to increase the data collected by the watch. Samsung could also lean into sleep tracking, suggesting users wear the watch all day and sleep with the ring. I’m going full-on The Princess and the Pea every time I try to sleep with a watch on my wrist and I’m sure I’m not alone.
“As part of this portfolio,” notes Samsung, “Galaxy Ring is revealed as a new health form factor that simplifies everyday wellness, supporting smarter and healthier living through a more connected digital wellness platform — Samsung Health.”
Image Credits: Brian Heater
The rings on display at the event are prototypes, though the product is expected to arrive sometime later this year – in time for the holidays, one imagines. We know that built-in sensors measure heart rate, movement and breathing to create a cross-section of the user’s health and sleep.
This information will populate what Samsung calls a “MyVitality Score.” The company says the feature, “offers personalized health information based on multiple factors, including sleep, activity, heart rate and heart rate variability, while [additional new feature] Booster Card helps make each day healthier by tracking pre-set goals and providing useful information.” These will be released for the Galaxy Watch 6, likely before the Ring launches.
Questions like pricing and battery life remain. I imagine Samsung is trying to make both as competitive as possible with the Oura offering. Of course, Oura buyers must factor in the monthly subscription. However, Samsung could follow Google’s Oura and Fitbit down this path.
“Right now the service is completely free, but we are exploring different options,” Pak said press conference last year. “In the future, we are thinking about a premium model or a subscription-based service.”
