From smartwatches we have moved on to smart bracelets and now everything points to the next step being rings. The Galaxy Ring slumbers in a corner of Samsung's display and is one of the gadgets attracting cameras and attention at the MWC (Mobile World Congress) in Barcelona 2024. The device is still in development and does not have final specifications, but the company expects it to go on sale in the first half of the year.
Samsung revealed more details about the Galaxy Ring in a meeting with the press to which EL PAÍS – which is traveling with Samsung to MWC – was invited. There we journalists were able to touch and try on the ring, which is made in different sizes and three colors (gold, silver and black). On the finger it just looks decorative, a normal ring, at least the silver and gold models. At first glance it is comfortable and not cumbersome.
Its goal will be to act as a measuring device for various physiological parameters. The Galaxy Ring will be able to record heart and breathing rates, nighttime movements and sleep latency. The latter is an aspect that the company's wearables do not currently measure. Dr. In his presentation, Hon Pak, Vice President and Head of the Mobile Experience Digital Health Team at Samsung Electronics, emphasized the connection between senile dementia and deep sleep and REM sleep deficit. “Now we’re starting to understand the impact of getting a good night’s sleep. What happens when you sleep is the body repairs itself. And we have collected data on physiological patterns from which a value can be derived,” says the manager.
Samsung's wearable device strategy is linked to personal health and well-being. For Pak, the devices, including the new ring, can serve as an impetus for changes in people's behavior and lifestyles. It says that the data they collect can lead to early warnings to prevent certain diseases.
How to use the Samsung Galaxy Ring.Samsung
One of the features that reflects this goal is “My Vitality Score,” a parameter developed by Samsung that collects data about the user's mental and physical state. The company used machine learning to determine the balance of measurements. “We worked with the University of Georgia to develop a score that tells you how prepared you are for the new day and how you should prepare: whether you need to sleep more, be more active or rest.” We “We clinically validated it with patients and found a correlation between the score and, for example, actual cognitive alertness,” says Dr. Pak.
These are personal health applications powered by data collected by the company's wearables. The company sees its new ring as an opportunity to increase the number of users. The Galaxy Ring is another option for consumers who don't feel comfortable wearing a smartwatch or bracelet. “We came to the conclusion that sometimes convenience is much more important than technology and features,” says Pak. “And I think with Ring we've set out on a path to understanding user needs in a very personal way.”
The company maintains collaborations with various medical or research institutions to validate their products through clinical studies or to create services of higher value. One of his collaborations with the company Natural Cycles allows women to determine the timing of the menstrual cycle by measuring skin temperature. This functionality is available on the Galaxy Watch5 and will also be available with the ring.
A woman takes a photo of the Galaxy Ring, yesterday Monday at the MWC. Albert Garcia (Albert Garcia)
In this case, the data measured with the wearable is transmitted to the smartphone and then sent to Natural Cycles to be sent back in the form of an estimate. However, Pak assures that this is an exceptional case: “Most of the data remains on the devices. It is transferred to our smartphone and a local analysis is carried out on the device itself.”
The Galaxy Ring will not be the first of these rings. There are already others, such as the Oura Ring, which measures heart rate variability, blood oxygen levels, body temperature and monitors sleep. A second alternative is Ultrahuman Ring Air, which can measure circadian rhythms or the user's energy levels.
Although MWC served as a showcase for the Galaxy Ring, Pak reminds that the ring is still in development and could change. They could even add new sensors, but only if they can be clinically validated and if they fit the style and comfort the brand wants to offer. After all, everything that is now available weighs less than three grams.
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