Samsung has put a lot of effort into highlighting a clear dividing line between its Galaxy Ring and the wearable's main competitor, the Oura Ring: that is the lack of a subscription fee. The company made it clear that it has no plans to charge a monthly fee now or in the future. However, a footnote in a slide during Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked presentation uses more careful language, possibly leaving the door open for future subscription options.
The Samsung Galaxy Ring is not revolutionary, as smart rings have been offering discreet health tracking since 2015. However, the $399.99 Galaxy Ring is the most exciting thing to happen to smart rings in the last five years because it’s from Samsung. Until now, smart rings have been synonymous with the Oura Ring, which gained attention during the COVID-19 pandemic. Samsung’s entry into the smart ring market gives legitimacy to this niche wearable and opens the door for Apple and Google to potentially follow suit.
The Galaxy Ring is discreet and versatile, fitting any wardrobe and occasion. It is the thinnest and most comfortable smart ring, with dimensions smaller than most smart rings at 7mm wide and 2.6mm thick. The ring’s concave shape creates a slimming effect and ensures comfort, especially when making a fist or grabbing a dumbbell. Samsung offers sizing kits for $10 online, which is applied to the cost of the ring.
The Galaxy Ring is primarily a health tracker, allowing users to track sleep, blood oxygen, skin temperature, heart rate metrics, and activities. It provides a daily sleep score, sleep coaching, and a new Energy Score that indicates how well you’ve recovered overnight. However, the data accuracy can be hit or miss, especially for blood oxygen readings and activity tracking during runs.
The Galaxy Ring is made with Samsung users in mind. It can be used with a non-Samsung Android phone, but users won’t get everything the ring is capable of. Features like Samsung Find, Energy Score insights, and the double pinch gesture for controlling the phone’s camera are exclusive to Galaxy phones. The ring’s battery life is optimized when used with a Galaxy Watch, extending it by an extra 30 percent.
In conclusion, the Galaxy Ring is less of a Galaxy Watch alternative and more of an accessory for it. At $400, it’s a secondary device for your smartwatch, and there’s no real reason to pick it over cheaper alternatives unless you’re already ensconced in the Galaxy ecosystem. Samsung’s entry into the smart ring market is a test to see whether there’s an appetite for this kind of multiwearable ecosystem and whether its most loyal customers will buy in. If successful, it could usher in a new era of wearables.
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