When Samsung introduced the Galaxy Ring (above) this summer, I was immediately tempted by the wearable. I didn’t want to leave the Apple ecosystem I’ve been using for so many years, but I thought a smart ring could complement the Apple Watch I was already using.
The ring would continue to monitor my health parameters even when I recharged the Watch, filling in the gaps in monitoring. The ring would get more advanced with time, so I might even consider leaving the smartwatch behind.
I also thought that Apple would make an Apple Ring of its own, either in response to Samsung or independently of Samsung’s plans. Samsung wasn’t the first to launch a smart ring, with Oura being one of the best-known makers of such devices.
Similarly, I thought Apple was exploring its own ring in secret, which is the case for every product Apple makes. We wouldn’t hear about it until the product is ready for mass consumption. Not to mention that health is an incredible focus for Apple right now. Products like the Apple Watch, the AirPods Pro, and the iPhone all work together to help you manage various aspects of your health. An Apple Ring would just fit.
Fast-forward to mid-October, and Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has bad news for me. Apparently, Apple doesn’t plan to go forward with plans to develop a smart ring.
Gurman said in his Power On newsletter that Apple explored the idea, but there is no active development of an Apple Ring at this time.
Gurman reported back in February that Apple’s industrial team had suggested work on an Apple Ring product. The device would be cheaper than the Apple Watch and likely complement the wrist-wearable.
The Apple execs were uninterested in the prospect, and Apple didn’t move to active development.
Gurman wasn’t even the only source for these Apple Ring rumors. A separate report said that Apple was working on a smart ring with health-tracking abilities.
What’s interesting about that timing is that we knew in February that Samsung would unveil a Galaxy Ring this year. Samsung teased the device in January at the end of the Galaxy S24 announcement. I saw the Galaxy Ring for the first time in Barcelona in late February, but I could not try it.
Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Ring in mid-July in Paris, at which point I was able to experience it. The device looks and feels good and can track various health parameters, like heart rate and sleep. It also has a long-lasting battery that lasts several days.
However, I never saw the Galaxy Ring as a replacement for the Apple Watch. And you can’t use the Galaxy Ring with the iPhone. I’ll also note that, at $399, the Galaxy Ring is more expensive than expected, even if it doesn’t come with a monthly subscription. The brand-new Oura Ring 4 will cost you $349, but you will need a monthly subscription for improved health tracking.
What I’m getting at is that you’d have to think really hard about buying a smart ring. You’d want to put it to good use rather than using it a few times and then relegating it to a drawer.
With that in mind, I can see why Apple would think twice about deploying an Apple Ring right now. It would compete directly with the Apple Watch and might impact sales of the latter.
On that note, I’ll add that the Apple Watch Series 10 is an incredible upgrade for me. It’s not just about the improved health features but also the impressive battery life. Add fast-charging support, and I spend about an hour a day without a wearable tracking my health.
However, I said more than once that I could use an Apple Watch without a display as long as it can log the same health and fitness data. An Apple Ring would almost qualify. I wouldn’t expect it to be as good as the Apple Watch, but it could still get the base parameters right. I might take off the Apple Watch more often and just rely on the readings from the Apple Ring.
One fantasy I have is going for runs for my marathon training, where I don’t check the stats as often. An Apple Ring would still track almost everything about my run, including heart rate and pace, and beam it to the iPhone. I’d run more freely, knowing all my health data would be collected. I’d inspect it later rather than in real time.
Also, an Apple Ring might be handy for purposes other than tracking health parameters. You might use it to control other future wearables, like the Vision Pro and Apple AR glasses.
Wishful thinking aside, I’ll still hold hope for an Apple Ring. Gurman is usually right about unreleased Apple products and ideas that are in development. But what if Apple decides to go forward with a smart ring product after all?
