Galaxy Ring: Samsung's first-gen smart ring edges closer to mass production

The rumored Samsung Galaxy Ring might be just around the corner, or at least that's what a new report from THE ELEC, a Korean media outlet, suggests. The decision about whether to start mass production could be made as early as next month.

Currently, still in the early stages of development, the tech giant seems to be actively collaborating with domestic and foreign parts makers to bring the Galaxy Ring to life. The decision to mass-produce the Galaxy Ring is still uncertain, but industry rumors suggest that Samsung is expected to decide in August at the earliest.

As per THE ELEC's report, the preliminary development review results will be shared with Roh Tae-moon, Samsung’s president and head of Mobile eXperience. Once the company decides to go ahead with mass production of the Galaxy Ring, it can kickstart the product development process.

However, even if Samsung decides to mass-produce the Galaxy Ring, it may not hit the market immediately. Similar to the Galaxy Watch, the Galaxy Ring might require medical device approval after the product development phase. Typically, this approval process takes 7 to 8 months for product development and an additional 10 to 12 months for medical device approval. So, it's likely that the release date for the Galaxy Ring would be sometime in 2025.

Alternatively, Samsung may categorize the Galaxy Ring as a straightforward wellness product, skipping the medical device approval process and possibly launching it in the coming year.

The Galaxy Ring's potential lies in offering more precise body information measurements compared to the Galaxy Watch. Its snug fit on the finger might minimize errors caused by loose wear. However, due to weaker blood flow in the finger than in the wrist, information accuracy might be slightly reduced, or if the ring is too tight, it could lead to errors in blood flow measurements.

However, if the features of the Galaxy Ring are comparable to those offered by the Galaxy Watch, it could potentially compete for a share of the Galaxy Watch market.

Interestingly, Samsung appears to be gearing up not only to enter the smart ring market and compete with category leader Oura but also to explore the potential of developing a Galaxy Ring compatible with AR/VR devices.

Apple recently revealed its AR/VR device, Vision Pro, which uses cameras and sensors to track the user's head and hand movements without requiring a special controller. Rumors suggest that Samsung is also working on a similar technology for their smart ring and has applied for a patent to collect various information through it.