Is it time for smart rings to enter the mainstream? Samsung certainly hopes so, having used the latest Galaxy Unpacked as an arena to launch the Samsung Galaxy Ring. And early reports seem to suggest Samsung’s gamble is paying off, as U.S. stock of certain Galaxy Ring models sold out almost immediately.
I’m certainly not immune to the appeal. I’ve dropped my own preorder for the Galaxy Ring and am eagerly awaiting my ring-sizing kit. But my route to preorder wasn’t smooth, and I thought long and hard about whether the Galaxy Ring would be right for me — or whether the Oura Ring, Samsung’s main competition in this space, would be a better choice.
Eventually, I came down on the Samsung side of the fence, but there were a number of reasons that swung my decision. Here are four reasons why I bought the Galaxy Ring (and one reason why I wouldn’t).
There’s no subscription fee
This one was a biggy, and Samsung knew it. The Galaxy Ring had as many leaks and rumors as any other mobile device, and one of the more troubling whispers said Samsung was considering a subscription for the Galaxy Ring. This would have brought it into parity with the Oura Ring, which charges its users a monthly subscription of $6 to access the majority of the data it collects.
Thankfully, this didn’t come to pass, and Samsung clearly understood how big a deal this would be to prospective buyers. As such, its denial of a subscription is loud and unambiguous.
Weirdly, I would resent having to pay Samsung a subscription more than I would to Oura. Oura is a much smaller company than Samsung, and I can more easily understand Oura needs the additional income to survive. Yes, over time, you’ll end up paying more for the Oura Ring, but that’s worth it to keep a small company going.
But Samsung? Samsung will be fine regardless of whether the Galaxy Ring has a subscription. So, while it wouldn’t have been a dealbreaker if the Galaxy Ring had a subscription cost, Samsung reacting so strongly against it won it some brownie points from me.
It allows me to go without a smartwatch
Let’s be real: A smart ring is never going to replace a smartwatch. It’s a question of size — a watch has more room to include sensors, and any time sensors shrink and afford more features to a smart ring, you can be sure manufacturers will pop more sensors into smartwatches to compensate. So, really, a smart ring isn’t a full-time smartwatch alternative.
But how about part time? That could work. If you’re not heading out to the gym but are just going out for a normal workday or a trip to the mall, a smart ring will work just fine. The Galaxy Ring can track step counts, your heart rate, and your sleep. It also automatically detects and tracks walking and running, which means it covers just about everything you can expect on a regular day.
As a result, it’s entirely probable for the Galaxy Ring to replace a smartwatch in certain circumstances. If I don’t want to wear a large smartwatch to bed, my sleep can still be tracked by my ring. But the more significant change for me is the ability to go back to wearing a normal, non-smartwatch without missing a (heart) beat. Previously I’d either kept myself tied to a smartwatch, regardless of any … unfortunate color schemes, or opted for the tried and tested “two watch” method.
But now? Once my Galaxy Ring arrives, I’m free to ditch my smartwatch whenever I want. Who watches the watches? It turns out the smart rings do a decent job.
It’s small and light
Everyone seems to agree: The Galaxy Ring is smaller and lighter than the Oura Ring. The difference is a matter of grams, which doesn’t seem like it should make a difference, but apparently, it does — and that’s an extra important factor for me.
I’m not a ring wearer. Never have been. That’s not for any particular reason or anything; I wasn’t traumatized by The Lord of the Rings at a young age; it’s simply that I’ve never had to wear a ring, so I haven’t. I’m expecting to have a serious period of adjustment when it comes to wearing a ring, and if one is lighter and more comfortable than another, well, crikey, I’m obviously going to be leaning toward that one.
This isn’t to say the Oura Ring is uncomfortable or anything like that — everyone who has had hands-on time with it stresses the opposite. No, it’s simply that the Galaxy Ring is noticeably less, well, noticeable than the alternatives.
Samsung’s ability to share data is excellent
This one is even more personal and niche than the other reasons, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a big part of the reason I preordered the Galaxy Ring. Testing new devices is the best job in the world, but sometimes you run into wearables that, while otherwise great, aren’t very good at sharing the information they glean with other services. This recently happened to me with the Suunto Race, which simply didn’t want to share my step counts and exercises with other services.
This wouldn’t be an issue, except for the fact my life insurance premiums are tied into my personal stats. The more I walk, exercise, and take care of myself, the lower my premiums for the next year. So, losing any amount of health information is a big deal for me. Getting a Galaxy Ring and ensuring it’ll be there to keep up that line of information is very important for me.
Could Oura have done this too? Possibly — it does link to Google Fit, but only sends over exercise, weight, and height data. Samsung Health connects seamlessly and sends over all the data I need it to. As a backup health data gatherer, the Galaxy Ring is simply my only real choice in the smart ring space.
The one thing that almost stopped me
I have many reasons for picking the Galaxy Ring over the Oura Ring, but it would be wrong to say it was an easy decision. While Samsung has an edge for the reasons I’ve explained, there’s always the nagging doubt at the back of my mind: What if this is it?
One of the Oura Ring’s great strengths has been the ongoing support and updates from Oura. While new rings have come out with improved sensors and updated designs, when you buy an Oura Ring, you can be fairly sure it’ll get regular updates and additions.
But can I say that about Samsung? It’s hard to say. Yes, Samsung is solid where its phones and smartwatches are concerned, and I wouldn’t think twice about buying a recent one of either from Samsung. But a smart ring is a new endeavor for the Korean company, and if it hasn’t left enough headroom for more features and updates down the line, then my smart ring is going to feel old very fast. This is twice as true if Samsung throws out a Galaxy Ring 2 at this time next year.
Is this perhaps overly pessimistic of me? Maybe. But when I’m spending $400 on an easily lost, easily broken device, I want to know I’ll be rewarded for looking after it. Hopefully, Samsung will prove just as reliable and generous as Oura, but we’ll have to wait and see. I’m still excited about my Galaxy Ring, but until that first new feature package drops, I’ll be wondering if I should have bought an Oura instead.
