Summary
- Samsung plans to produce up to 400,000 Galaxy Ring units, betting big on the market segment currently dominated by Oura.
- The Galaxy Ring will be available in nine sizes and three color/finish choices, somewhat similar to Oura Ring 3’s options.
- Pricing details for the Galaxy Ring are still elusive, but it could be comparable to the Oura Ring 3.
Although smart rings aren’t exactly a new concept, they are expected to make up for a significant chunk of the wearable market segment this year. While established names like Oura already have a big lead in this market, Samsung has thrown its hat in the ring (no pun intended) with the Galaxy Ring, which was shown off during the MWC last month. A new report now details the company’s plans for this smart ring, with Samsung apparently readying to produce up to 400,000 units of the Galaxy Ring ahead of its release.
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An elaborate report by The Elec (via 9to5Google) details the company’s plans to have nearly half a million Galaxy Rings ready to go on launch day. The publication says Samsung will begin mass production of the Galaxy Ring in May 2024 and show off the new wearable alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and the Z Flip 6 during the rumored July Unpacked event, adding that it will go on sale by August. Samsung has kept the Galaxy Ring’s release date under wraps so far, only offering a vague end-of-the-year timeline for its arrival.
The fact that Samsung wants to have at least 400,000 units of the Galaxy Ring ready to go on launch day suggests that it’s betting big on this form factor, perhaps inspired by Oura’s success. Furthermore, The Elec notes that Samsung can easily manage if the demand surpasses its expectations, thanks to the Galaxy Ring’s small form factor and the fact that all the “special parts” for the ring’s production are not in short supply.
Detailed figures on Oura’s recent shipments/deliveries aren’t available, but 9to5Google dug up a March 2022 blog post by the smart ring maker announcing deliveries of a million Oura smart rings. With the market only getting bigger for smart rings in 2024 and beyond, maybe Samsung’s confidence in the Galaxy Ring is justified.
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Samsung has been forthcoming about some of the Galaxy Ring’s features, such as the My Vitality Score, which could work similarly to Oura’s Readiness Score. We know that the Galaxy Ring will be available in nine sizes — starting from five and going all the way up to 13. Color choices include Silver, Gold, and Black, according to Samsung, similar to the options offered with the Oura Ring 3. However, Oura also offers its smart ring in Stealth and Rose Gold trims.
As with any new product, the pricing of the Galaxy Ring will be crucial, although Samsung has been tight-lipped on this aspect so far. But we would be surprised if it costs more than the Oura Ring 3, which starts from $300. It will be interesting to see if Samsung will roll out a paid subscription similar to Oura.
Oura Ring 3
The Oura Ring 3 is comfortably among the best smart rings you can get right now. It comes in multiple sizes/finishes and is capped off by software features like the Readiness Score, which tells you how to go about the day ahead. We were quite impressed with the Oura Ring 3’s battery life as well, making this a top pick in the segment.
