Samsung has previewed its first smart ring at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, positioning it as a comprehensive health tracker enhanced with AI insights.
The Galaxy Ring is set to launch later this year and, according to Samsung, will offer a simplified way to track many different body metrics and support wellness goals.
The South Korean brand is also presenting the wearable as part of its vision for integrating artificial intelligence with mobile products, which it calls its "Galaxy AI Vision".
First look at the Samsung Galaxy Ring pic.twitter.com/J6l3GtIxmP
— Parker Burton (@imparkerburton) February 26, 2024
Samsung has unveiled its first smart ring
In a blog post, Samsung digital health head Hon Pak said that portable devices will become the primary access point for AI and that the company's innovations would accelerate the technology's "global expansion".
"That's why we're thrilled to be introducing Samsung Galaxy Ring later this year – bringing Samsung's accumulated innovations to the smallest form for comfortable 24/7 wear," said Pak.
"As a new addition to our wearables portfolio, Galaxy Ring will offer users an all-new way to simplify everyday wellness, empowering them with greater insights and more ways to understand themselves day and night."
While Samsung has not yet detailed what sensors will be built into the device, it has said the tracking capabilities will include indicators around quality of sleep, including a sleep apnoea feature that can detect signs of the breathing disorder.
It will also include period and fertility tracking through its continuing partnership with app developer Natural Cycles, which is already part of the Galaxy Watch offering and utilises skin temperature measurements.
The ring will connect to an updated version of the company's digital wellness platform, Samsung Health, which will include a new "My Vitality Score" combining data around sleep, activity levels and heart rate variability.
Samsung says it will use AI to provide more personalised insights and tailored experiences, and that the AI will draw on the dataset collected from the 64 million monthly active users of its health platform.
The company is also working with partners to develop other complementary products that could fit within its ecosystem.
Samsung Galaxy Ring was just announced to come later this year!
For those who don't want to wear the smartwatch you can instead carry the tiniest wearable.
Are you a smart ring person? pic.twitter.com/qag125m6T6
— CID (@theonecid) February 26, 2024
Its surface is concave to avoid scratches
"For instance, you can create a more optimal sleep environment with a smart mattress that can fine-tune the ideal sleep temperatures for rest," said Pak.
Samsung is showing prototypes of the Galaxy Ring at European tech trade show the Mobile World Congress (MWC), with variants in silver, gold and black.
The design is minimal with no visible screens, lights or buttons, and the surface is slightly concave to avoid scratches.
2024 could prove to be the year of the smart ring, with Apple also rumoured to be working on a product following the release of its Vision Pro headset earlier this year.
While rings have so far represented only a small slice of the wearables market, a recent report has suggested that sales are expected to grow by nearly 30 per cent in the six years between 2022 and 2028.
The Oura ring is the current market leader while alternative designs include Oxygem – a product tailored to sufferers of sickle cell disease.
All images courtesy of Samsung.
The Mobile World Congress is on at the Gran Via convention centre in Barcelona, Spain from 26 to 29 February 2024. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.