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If Apple is responsible for the rebirth of mobile technology, more or less 17 years ago with the launch of the iPhone, Samsung could play an essential role in the post-smartphone era, the one dominated by artificial intelligence. During the Unpacked on January 17, with the announcement of the first smartphones with Galaxy AI, the Galaxy S24, the Korean chaebol gave a quick taste of Galaxy Ring, a ring mainly aimed at health monitoring, but not only. In true Apple style, Samsung’s “one more thing” is an object that we will probably find as a finished product only in the next few months but which already opens up to new scenarios capable of boosting interest in the wearable market. Wearables, according to the latest estimates from Canalys, brought home an increase of two percentage points in 2023, and a total of 186.1 million pieces shipped during the year. According to analysts, 2024 should lead to a further increase of 10%, without however considering the addition of new segments, such as “intelligent rings”. A sector in which some players are already there but which the advent of Samsung could definitively make it take off.
Galaxy Ring
The Samsung ring, from what we already know, will allow you to manage your health with a complete but simplified approach. Obviously, to this end, the device will come in different sizes, with a maximum diameter of 22.2 mm. It will be able to monitor heart rate, blood oxygen saturation but also sleep and training. All this by synchronizing data with Samsung Health and therefore with a paired smartphone. As with smartwatches, it is likely that one day rings will also be equipped with e-sims to become independently connected objects, perhaps with which to answer or make phone calls, without a screen but with the support of on-board AI. A future that seems distant but which 2023 has shown us can run very quickly.
Oura Ring
In the beginning there was Oura. Oura Ring is a device that arrived for the first time in 2015, through a crowdfunding campaign, and which has been constantly updated over time until it reaches the third generation today. Oura may represent, from the point of view of commercial strategy, a good example to follow: two designs, four colours, eight sizes. An extreme customization that costs money, given the prices from 329 euros to 499 for the gold version. The “as-a-service” ring is not a tout-court purchase given that Oura requires, after a free month, a subscription of just under 6 euros per month to access in-depth data on measurements, personalized advice and much more. Without the fee you can still use Oura Ring with basic monitoring returned by 20 biometric signals. It connects via Bluetooth to your mobile phone and can exchange data with Apple Health, Google, Strava and others.
Amazfit Helio
Freshly presented at the Consumer Electronic Show 2024 in Las Vegas, Helio is designed primarily for sleep tracking: it is worn when you sleep and based on the data collected it creates a score, useful for athletes to prepare their training sessions. There is no lack of classic heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen and VO2 Max, which during physical activity shows the maximum volume of oxygen in the unit of time considered. Again, the plus is a subscription, Zepp Aura, with AI, which also allows you to proactively analyze your sleep through Zepp Wellness Coach. Prices and availability still unknown.
Circular Ring Slim
Innovation in the field of smart rings is also opening up new frontiers in the medical field. Circular’s Ring Slim is capable of monitoring 142 biomarkers derived from 7 key biometric parameters, providing detailed insights into the user’s health and well-being. Sensors include an accelerometer for motion, PPG sensors to detect heart rate, breathing and oxygen levels, as well as body temperature. Kira+ is the AI assistant that uses the latest generative language models to converse via app and return complete health reports. The launch of the Circular Ring Slim marks a step forward towards increasingly complete but affordable devices. The price of 249 euros is attractive, so much so that it opens up a technology that is still a niche today to the general public.