There are quite a few wearable options out there for anyone looking to stay on top of their health and fitness. However, one of the newest device types is the smart ring, a rather small wearable that somehow manages to fit many of the tracking sensors into its small form factor.
Oura has made a name for itself with the popular Oura Ring, which we reviewed. It's a surprisingly good device with plenty of features, insights, and amazing battery life that lasts up to a week. There are other smart rings out there or on the way from companies like Circular and Movano Health, but the big names like Samsung, Google, and Apple are still missing.
We want to know if you would consider buying a smart ring if these companies made their own versions.
The cool thing about smart rings is that they can be discreet. Devices like the Oura Ring look just like regular rings and are used for tracking health and fitness, while there are other simpler rings that are used for things like NFC payments. It rids the need to wear a bulky smartwatch or fitness tracker, which can sometimes be distracting thanks to the display that begs to be touched.
Still, despite the potential of smart rings, particularly for women's health, the market is fairly small compared to smartwatches. Samsung makes some of the best Android smartwatches on the market and has even managed to help get Wear OS 3 off the ground after years of stagnation. If the company were to develop something like a Galaxy Ring, that could help popularize the devices.
In fact, it's rumored that Samsung may be looking to dip its toes in the smart ring category with a device that can track health and even control other Galaxy devices.
Then there's Apple, which commands a large amount of the smartwatch market. The Apple Watch is an impressive device, and to some, it's seen as a status symbol. There's no doubt Apple could make a standout smart ring that gives users the best of its smartwatch and Apple Health but in a smaller form factor.
Given Google's recent entry into the wearable market with the Pixel Watch, a smart ring seems unlikely in the near future. However, Google does own Fitbit, which excels in fitness tracking. A Pixel/Fitbit Ring would still be a cool idea as yet another device to expand the company's ecosystem.
