After the Samsung Galaxy S24 hype at Unpacked 2024, Samsung briefly acknowledged that it’s working on its first entry in a growing wearable category. The rumored Samsung Galaxy Ring is a real product we’ll be able to buy. Even though Samsung confirmed it has a smart ring in the works, we don’t have much official information. We’ve heard rumors, and the on-stage mention got our minds buzzing with possibilities. Here’s everything we know about the Samsung Galaxy Ring and what we hope to see.
Samsung Galaxy Ring: What we know so far
Before Samsung’s Unpacked announcement, the only unofficial info we heard about the Galaxy Ring was that Samsung would partner with Japanese electronics manufacturer Meiko to source components for the wearable. That’s still unconfirmed, but Samsung worked with Meiko on the Galaxy S23 series.
Samsung’s official announcement of the Galaxy Ring didn’t contain any information. It was mentioned so briefly that some of us at AP missed the segment (you can see it at the 1:11:00 mark in the video above). The teaser showed a CG-rendered smart ring spinning in space for a few seconds. That was it.
Based on the video, we see three bumps inside the ring that we assume are positioned over health sensors. The outer surface of the ring appears to have a unique concave shape. There was no info about features, styles, pricing, or availability. The Galaxy Ring reveal was a classic one-more-thing tease.
Shortly after the official reveal, analyst Avi Greengart claimed to have had hands-on time with prototypes of the Galaxy Ring. Greengart described the ring as “ridiculously light” and said Samsung plans to launch it in three finishes, with sizes up to 13. He also claims that the ring will be released sometime in 2024 and that pricing hasn’t been finalized.
Samsung Galaxy Ring: What we want to see
While we don’t have much concrete info about the Samsung Galaxy Ring, we have hopes for the upcoming wearable. Here’s what we’d like to see.
No subscription fees
The most prominent player in the smart ring space, Oura, charges a subscription fee to access most features its third-gen Oura Ring offers. Other rings, like the Ultrahuman Ring Air, don’t require monthly dues. The cost of the ring’s continued functionality is built into the initial purchase price.
Samsung doesn’t offer a paid tier of its Samsung Health platform, which the Galaxy Ring will tie into. We’re hoping that doesn’t change with the release of the company’s first smart ring. These things generally cost hundreds of dollars, so paying more money after the fact is an unappealing proposition for many shoppers.
Full compatibility with non-Samsung phones
Samsung’s existing wearables, like the Galaxy Watch 6, work with Android phones from all manufacturers. Certain niche functions, such as EKG measurements, require the Samsung Health Monitor app. The app is only officially available on Samsung’s phones. It seems unlikely a smart ring would offer features that could be restricted to Samsung’s hardware ecosystem. Still, the Galaxy Ring will be a better product if it works with phones from Google or OnePlus as well as Samsung’s phones.
Durable finishes
The two smart rings we’ve spent the most time with, the third-gen Oura Ring and the Ultrahuman Ring Air, showed significant wear quickly. The mirror-finish gold coating on the Oura Ring gave way to the gray titanium underneath in spots. The Ring Air’s matte black finish picked up some gnarly scuffs within days of putting it on. Given smart rings are investments most people will want to hold onto for years, durability is important.
A convenient charger
Many smart rings come with charging pucks that have USB-C input for power, a design that is incredibly convenient. The RingConn Smart Ring takes it a step further with a clamshell charging case similar to the ones many true wireless earbuds have. We’re crossing our fingers that Samsung’s Galaxy Ring doesn’t have a smartwatch-style charger permanently attached to a USB cable. Instead, we hope it offers something with USB-C input for more flexibility (taking inspiration from RingConn and offering an optional charging case wouldn’t be bad).
Contactless payment support
This one’s a bit of a long shot. Given Samsung will be the first smart ring manufacturer with an established payment platform in Samsung Pay, it would be fantastic if the Galaxy Ring could make contactless payments the way Samsung’s smartwatches can.
Security would present an interesting challenge. To activate contactless payments on a Wear OS watch, you must set a screen lock on the wearable, which isn’t possible on a screenless ring. Activating a smartwatch’s mobile wallet also requires interacting with the device in certain ways, which isn’t possible with a smart ring.
It’s possible security could be adequately addressed with settings in the Samsung Wearable mobile app and some strongly worded warnings about not putting your hand near payment terminals you don’t intend to interact with or other means we’re not considering.
Samsung Galaxy Ring: Coming this year?
All we know about the Galaxy Ring is that it’s far enough into development for Samsung to acknowledge that it exists. Given that the teaser contained almost no information, it seems we’re far from an official release date. If one rumor is to be believed, it’ll be on store shelves this year. Now that the seal’s been broken, we expect to hear more via official info from Samsung, leaks, or both throughout 2024.
If you’re curious about smart rings and unconvinced the Galaxy Ring will bring anything new to the table, check out our top smart ring recommendations from the likes of Oura, RingConn, Ultrahuman, and more.
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