Skip to main content

The Oura Ring may get a fierce new competitor in January 2024

A person holding the Ultrahuman Ring Air and the Oura Ring.
Ultrahuman Ring Air (left) and the Oura Ring Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Smartwatches have become a popular way to track personal health stats in real time. However, some people don’t like wearing an Apple Watch Series 8 or Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 all day and night. That’s why devices like the Oura Ring have caught the attention of some users. Now, it looks like a new smart ring could be launched at the beginning of next year, and its release could be significant — if only because of which company might release it.

Early next year, Samsung is expected to announce the Samsung Galaxy S24 series of phones. At the same event, it could also introduce a Galaxy Ring. The possible news comes from the Chinese-based tipster Ice Universe. Although there have been previous rumors about a Samsung fitness ring product, this is the first time its release date has been suggested to be just a few months away.

Recommended Videos

Smart rings have similar functions to those of smartwatches. For example, the Oura Ring Generation 3 provides activity tracking, heart rate monitoring, and sleep analysis. However, smart rings are less invasive than smartwatches because of their compact size and the fact that they do not constantly bombard you with notifications.

A close look at the Oura Ring's main sensors.
The main sensor inside the Oura Ring Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Naturally, despite the similarities, smart rings are far behind smartwatches in terms of sales. Sales are supposed to grow significantly in the coming years. According to a previous report, the growth rate of the smart ring market is expected to be over 25% per year from 2023 onward, and it is anticipated to reach a market value of $747.41 million. And a lot of research shows smart rings have tremendous benefits that shouldn’t be overlooked.

For example, a scientific study published in Sleep concluded that wearables like the Oura Ring could be used to develop sleep-wake models, matching the performance of existing research devices. Meanwhile, the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health published a report showing the benefits of wearables such as the Oura Ring. The report suggested that with some modifications, these wearables could help certified medical personnel deliver critical care like CPR to people in emergencies.

Overall, the world of wearable technology is rapidly evolving, and it’s exciting to see what new features and designs will be released in the future.

The features of a Samsung Galaxy Ring are yet to be determined. However, it will probably have similar health-tracking capabilities to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6, which was released earlier this year. It will be exciting to see how competitors like Apple respond to Samsung’s entry into the market. Apple has already released several versions of its smartwatch, the Apple Watch, and it will be interesting to see how it will continue to innovate and improve its products to stay ahead of the competition. Could an Apple Ring be far behind?

Samsung typically holds Galaxy Unpacked events early in the year for phone launches, so we may see the first Galaxy Ring release in a few months. Stay tuned.

Bryan M. Wolfe
Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 may get an Exynos chip after all
Someone holding the violet/purple Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus.

Since rumors first emerged about exactly what chip would power the Samsung Galaxy S25, two main competitors took the lead: the Exynos 2500 and the Snapdragon 8 Elite. We've seen guesses go both ways, but based on what we know, the phone will be powered by a different chip depending on its region.

According to a recent Geekbench sighting, European markets will likely receive the Exynos chip. There's no word yet on what markets will get the Snapdragon 8 Elite. The latest Geekbench scores show a European variant of the Galaxy S25 Plus running the Exynos 2500, which earned scores of 2,359 single-core and 8,141 multi-core.

Read more
The Galaxy Ring 2 could fix the biggest problem with the device
Samsung Galaxy Ring next to the Galaxy Watch Ultra.

While it's arguable that smart rings have better tracking functionality than a smart watch, watches have an advantage that rings do not: They can be adjusted to fit any wrist size. Well, that might be a concern of the past now. Samsung has filed a patent that suggests adjustable rings could be coming soon — so the need to get the exact right ring size can be tossed out the window.

First spotted by the Dutch website Galaxy Club, this patent shows a smart ring with a segmented interior, likely made of elastic. When pressure is applied, these segments can widen the size of the ring. While it doesn't result in a huge margin, even a small amount of movement is significant in a historically rigid design. The patent shows three different variants, each with a different number of interior segments: three, four, and eight.

Read more
I used the brand new Oura Ring app. Here’s why you’ll want it
The Oura Ring 4 and the Oura app.

The Oura Ring 4 may be grabbing headlines, but behind it is a new version of the Oura app that is available regardless of which Oura Ring you own. Considering you have to pay $6 per month to see the vast majority of data collected by the smart ring and take advantage of its insights, is it worth it, and has the new design improved the app?

I’ve been using the new Oura Ring app for about 10 days now, at first connected to a third-generation Oura Ring, but over the last few days connected to the new Oura Ring 4. Here’s what to expect and whether it’s worth the subscription.
The Oura app's new design

Read more