Samsung may have cemented artificial intelligence’s place in a new frontier: the finger.
The South Korean electronics giant is now officially entering the smart ring space, with a first wearable called the Galaxy Ring that puts AI in jewelry form to power health and fitness monitoring.
The company described the device as “a lightweight titanium frame that’s so comfortable it fits easily on your finger. The Galaxy Ring is water-resistant for all-day wear, plus it has a battery that lasts up to seven days. There are three built-in sensors that monitor your health around the clock, and Galaxy AI analyzes the data to provide you with personalized health and sleep advice.”
The Galaxy Ring isn’t the tech industry’s first attempt at finger manipulation. Amazon previously tried a ring to make its Alexa voice assistant easily accessible anywhere. Today, the Oura Ring remains a popular option for consumers looking to track health and wellness data.
The latter recently introduced new AI powers through Oura Advisor, an experimental feature that personalizes information, recommendations and coaching based on the wearer’s data.
Samsung has an advantage in the breadth of its mobile footprint. The Galaxy Ring is tied to Galaxy smartphones, which IDC said led the market in the second quarter. “Preliminary market results show that Samsung took the top spot in Q2 2024 with 18.9% market share, driven by a strategic focus on its flagship products and a strong AI strategy.”
There are already a large number of potential users who are already familiar with the platform. While the $400 price tag may be a bit steep for some users, others might find the Galaxy Ring worth it to maintain a consistent experience within a single ecosystem.
As IDC noted, much of Samsung’s momentum comes from the introduction of Galaxy AI and its efforts to expand it across the ecosystem. That now includes the Galaxy Ring, its latest Galaxy Watch7 smartwatch, a new premium Ultra version of the watch, and a new generation of foldable phones, with the Z Flip6 and Z Fold6 touting slimmer profiles, better specs, and improved hinges.
Galaxy AI brings a number of new features to users, including live translation, advanced photo taking and editing, and most importantly, a new feature called “Circle to Search.” With the latter, users can circle an intriguing item, such as a particular fashion look, on the screen to find more information and where to buy it.
Right now, both Samsung and Apple are looking at AI as a way to improve their mobile devices and wearables. This is important because, as market leaders, they are uniquely positioned to increase consumer awareness of AI on a massive scale.
The implications seem far-reaching. These efforts could change the way people shop on their phones and could increase the appeal of different types of wearables, including jewelry. And that could open up unforeseen opportunities for the designers and brands that know the category best.