Updated 27 February 2024: We updated this article to include Wareable's first images of the Galaxy Ring.
The Samsung Galaxy Ring is finally official, and a 2024 release date now looks nailed on.
We now have official pictures of the smart ring from Samsung - as well as a selection we've taken ourselves from a very dimly-lit Samsung booth at MWC 2024 in Barcelona.
And it comes as smart rings are having their moment in the sun. Multiple companies are chasing the Oura Ring 3, the smart ring incumbent that has cornered the market with a strong suite of health features, and Samsung would become the biggest brand yet to enter the market.
In the last year, we've seen the Ultrahuman Ring Air, Circular Ring Slim, and Movano Evie Ring all enter the fray, too, and CES 2024 was packed with smart rings all vying for attention.
Smart rings are attractive because they’re (in theory) less noticeable than a hulking great smartwatch. They also enable you to keep wrist space free for nice watches or jewelry, and, as they don’t have a screen, you’re not pestered with notifications. What’s more, sensor accuracy at the finger can be better than at the wrist for certain activities, such as sleep tracking.
With Samsung's latest teaser, we now have a very good idea about the Galaxy Ring design. However, there's still plenty we don't know about the smart ring - so read on for the story so far.
New: Samsung Galaxy Ring images land
Samsung
The Samsung Galaxy Ring's design has been shown off in much more detail at MWC 2024 in Barcelona, though hands-on time with the device appears to be very selective at present.
The Galaxy Ring has a concave design, so the middle of the ring is slightly recessed to offer a little design finesse. This can be seen a lot more clearly in our own images (below), rather than in Samsung's latest press shots (above) released in time with the tech expo.
It'll also come in either a silver or a black finish, though neither of these is matte (from what we've seen so far, at least).
Wareable
Like Oura and other top-tier wellness devices, it's focused on sleep, and recovery – and puts a 'Vitality Score' front and center. That's very much a rehash of the Readiness that we've seen from the likes of Oura, Whoop, Garmin, and others.
What's more, actionablity is a big part of the mix, and there will be suggestion cards that reveal ways to improve your stats.
Wareable
The Galaxy Watch's partnerships with fertility tracking app Natural Cycles look to roll out for the Galaxy Ring, too.
At the Barcelona tech expo, Samsung also confirmed that compatibility with the Galaxy Ring will be limited to Android users.
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This is better than the Galaxy RIng being exclusive to Samsung phone users, as was once rumored, though those with an iPhone will be left out in the cold (as we've also seen with Samsung/Wear OS smartwatch compatibility in recent years).
As we'll cover a little more below, Samsung is also still yet to confirm any price or release date information. At present, we just know what it looks like and that its key focus will be tracking health and wellness.
Samsung Galaxy Ring release date
Even though the Galaxy Ring was shown to those on the show floor at MWC, we still have no idea when we might see it actually launch.
Given that time with the device has been tightly controlled, we'd expect to see it around the launch of the Galaxy Watch 7 at a July/August Unpacked event.
However, that is just calculated guesswork for now.
Samsung Galaxy Ring initial unveiling
Samsung officially teased the Samsung Galaxy Ring at its Galaxy S24 Unpacked event in San Jose in late January. You can watch the unveiling in the two-minute video above.
At the end of the show, the company showed off a short teaser video of the Galaxy Ring – and officially confirmed its existence for the first time.
There was precious little information, and as yet there's no release date, price, or much word on features. It was described as a “powerful and accessible” health and wellness device.
Samsung Galaxy Ring: A brief history
Samsung
The existence of a Samsung Galaxy Ring first appeared in a patent, which Wareable first reported back in October 2022.
And it didn’t take long to rear its head again.
In February 2023, a trademark for the Samsung Galaxy Ring was granted by KIPRIS, the Korean Intellectual Property Right Information Service.
The description read: "A smart device for measuring health indicators and/or sleep in the form of a ring.”
No other details are available in the application for the Galaxy Ring moniker – but the fact that it has a name is great news.
Fast forward to July 2023, mention of the Samsung Galaxy Ring possibly appeared in a beta version of the Samsung Health app.
Spotted by Reddit users, there’s precious little information in terms of specs, features or what the Galaxy Ring might do, but the app references “Ring Support."
This could refer to support for a Galaxy Ring, support for other smart rings – or, let's be honest – Ring doorbells, or anything else. But it's another pointer that Samsung could be serious about the smart ring market.
And now in September 2023, mention of the Galaxy Ring has been spotted in Samsung APK.
Samsung
According to the patent filings, it could feature the ability to take ECG measurements, monitor temperature and even control other connected devices.
Filed in October last year with the USPTO - and first spotted by Korean outlet Naver - the filing's sketches and notes point to a fairly sensor-packed ring, with ECG and PPG sensors.
And may also feature the ability to take blood pressure readings, matching the capabilities of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro.
So this would be a smart ring with a big health focus – something that would more than match the technology offered by the Oura Ring 3.
Possible smart home integrations
But it’s not all about big health features – and Samsung could bolster its smart home ecosystem. That was backed up by a patent from back in 2016.
The Galaxy Ring patent talks up functions to help link up with and control the likes of smartphones, tablets, and TVs, too.
It’s the kind of integration we've yet to really witness on a smart ring, and it would be interesting if Samsung could build in meaningful features without adding to the overall size.
Wareable says:
Wareable
Given Samsung's experience in the smartwatch market, the Galaxy Ring will almost certainly prove to be a popular addition to the smart ring market.
It will also bring plenty of attention to the form factor, which is currently dominated by companies that, while excellent, are not household names.
Samsung still has plenty of catching up to do, with the likes of the Oura Ring 3 offering up excellent sleep tracking accuracy and plenty of health insights in form factors that are getting both thinner and lighter.
Samsung Health has come on leaps and bounds in the wearables space, though, and we saw some excellent health features land on the Galaxy Watch 6 with One UI 5 Watch and Wear OS 4.
So, Samsung seems well-placed to deliver a strong fitness and health smart ring in 2024.
How we test
Conor moved to Wareable Media Group in 2017, initially covering all the latest developments in smartwatches, fitness trackers, and VR. He made a name for himself writing about trying out translation earbuds on a first date and cycling with a wearable airbag, as well as covering the industry’s latest releases.
Following a stint as Reviews Editor at Pocket-lint, Conor returned to Wareable Media Group in 2022 as Editor-at-Large. Conor has become a wearables expert, and helps people get more from their wearable tech, via Wareable's considerable how-to-based guides.
He has also contributed to British GQ, Wired, Metro, The Independent, and The Mirror.