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Samsung‘s first-gen smart ring might still be several months away, or maybe more than a year. The Korean firm is reportedly aiming to launch the Galaxy Ring in the third quarter of 2024 at the earliest, i.e. between July and September of next year. The launch could be further delayed until the first quarter of 2025 if things don’t go according to the plan.
Samsung has yet to complete the Galaxy Ring development
We have long known about Samsung working on a smart ring. The company is looking to make a tiny wearable device for your finger that can serve as a comprehensive health monitoring gadget, potentially offering better accuracy than wrist-worn smartwatches. Rumors about the device started getting more detailed and frequent earlier this year, indicating a nearing launch.
A few months back, the Korean media reported that the product had reached an advanced development stage, with Samsung beginning preparations for its mass production. Subsequently, we spotted references to the Galaxy Ring within several Samsung apps, with some of them containing ring-shaped icons as well. The company also filed numerous smart ring-related trademark applications.
The sheer volume of rumors and leaks about the Galaxy Ring suggested that the device isn’t too far off. Some industry insiders even claimed that Samsung will unveil it during the Galaxy S24 launch in January 2024. However, according to The Elec, that isn’t happening. The Korean firm is yet to complete the development of the Galaxy Ring. It has finalized the sensors for the product, but cramping those all in a tiny ring is proving to be a challenge.
Samsung reportedly plans to offer the Galaxy Ring in four sizes to ensure proper fit on fingers of varying sizes. Finnish brand Oura’s Oura Ring, for example, comes in eight sizes with the inner diameter ranging from 15.2 to 20.9 mm. While the Korean firm’s planned size options are not known, the new report states that the device in its current form is too large for commercialization.
Medical approvals might further delay its launch
Samsung is currently evaluating the possibilities of fitting all necessary sensors in each of the four Galaxy Ring size variants. It might remove some functions from the smaller models if need be. Once the company finalizes it all, the development stage will be complete and the device will be ready for mass production. The firm has already informed its suppliers about the plan, so production may not be an issue.
However, the Galaxy Ring has another hurdle to overcome before it can hit the market. If Samsung wants to sell it as a health-monitoring device, it must obtain necessary medical approvals. This process might take as long as a year. And the process will only begin once the company completes its development. Even if the company does that within the next couple of months, the Galaxy Ring won’t make it to the market until early 2025.
Of course, Samsung could sell it as a fitness tracker rather than a health monitoring device, which circumvents the need for medical approval. However, that has never been the plan. So in all likelihood, we will have to still wait more than a year for the Galaxy Ring. The company may unveil it during the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 launch in July/August 2024, but a market release could take a few more months.