A lot of us are looking forward to the Galaxy Ring, including me, and this is something that surprises me because I never thought I would consider wearing a smart ring. Smart rings are nothing new in the tech world, but I believe I am excited because Samsung is coming up with one and it will be a part of its ecosystem, which I find to be near-perfect. Of course, I am biased towards Samsung, but I have seen the company reinvent its mobile division, and it continues to do so.
Everything to know about the upcoming Galaxy Ring
The Galaxy Ring was teased back in January during the Galaxy Unpacked when Samsung introduced the Galaxy S24 Ultra and its siblings, and right away, the ring managed to become the center of attention. Samsung did not share many details, but since we know a lot about the ring, it is time to put all the information in one place so people interested in getting this smart ring know what to expect.
When will Samsung release the Galaxy Ring?
Now, when it comes to the release date, the Galaxy Ring should be available to the masses sometime in July. That is when Samsung is holding its second major Galaxy Unpacked event and will be introducing new foldable phones, smartwatches, earbuds, and possibly the new smart ring, too. The company showed off the new smart ring during the MWC 2024 last month, and we got to learn some really interesting facts about the ring. It seems that the second half of this year is likely when the ring is going to come out.
How much will the Galaxy Ring cost?
Price is going to be one of the deciding factors for a lot of people going for a Galaxy Ring. This is where Samsung will have to be really smart. The market for smart rings is not as saturated - Oura is one of the names that come to mind, and their rings are pretty expensive at a starting price of $299. So, whatever Samsung decides to do, it will have to be sure that the ring is priced competitively.
It is safe to say that the Galaxy Ring is going to be expensive. Considering its form factor and how it is technically more advanced than a Galaxy Watch. These are a few reasons that it might end up costing more than Samsung's smartwatches. Plus, if it is made out of titanium, then it could contribute to the added cost. Again, it is too early to say something, but I believe it is not going to be a cheap affair.
Will the Galaxy Ring be packed with advanced features and specs?'
Making a smart ring is not as easy as making a smartwatch and for a lot of reasons. Sure, some might argue that a smartwatch offers more because of its ability to tell time and show metrics in numbers, but a smart ring is a lot smaller and still manages to offer the same, if not more, functionality. The Galaxy Ring will bring features such as the ability to track sleep on several metrics, including heart rate, latency, and night movement. It will also have fertility tracking, and the best thing is that if you already have a Galaxy Watch, then both devices will be able to work in tandem. However, Samsung has mentioned that if you want, you can use the ring on its own, as well.
Moving on, the Galaxy Ring will be leading the class with excellent battery as a recent report confirms that the ring is going to offer five to nine days of battery life. This makes it one of the best in business because it definitely outperforms the Oura ring. However, it is worth noting that real-life usage might differ for many people. Speaking of the battery, it appears that different sizes will have different batteries - the smallest prototype that Samsung showed at the MWC 2024 had a 14.5 mAh battery, with the largest ring having a 21.5 mAh battery. Before you get mad, it is worth noting that these were just prototypes, and there is a chance that the final version could have a standardized battery size.
Reports have indicated that the Galaxy Ring will also have a lot of smart features that would allow it to play nicely with other devices in the smart home ecosystem. The ring will also offer ECG and blood flow measurement functionality, and on top of that, you will be able to use the ring for contactless payments. However, it is worth noting that a lot of the information available on the internet is still speculation, so it is better to take it with a grain of salt, as Samsung could end up changing the ring significantly.
The Galaxy Ring will work with non-Galaxy Android devices, but Samsung has confirmed that support for iOS is not on the horizon, so you might want to look somewhere else or just switch to a Galaxy device. At least, that is what Samsung wants.
All the information we have received on the Galaxy Ring points to the fact that it is one of Samsung's most interesting offerings. Of course, we are going to have to wait and see how it actually turns out. I am really hoping for something that can completely replace a smartwatch because it would be so much more convenient to have a ring on your finger than a watch on your wrist, especially for us traditional watch wearers.
