Smartwatches are a bit of a hard sell to some. The health-tracking sensors and NFC features are nice, but the devices themselves can be bulky, especially while sleeping. This is where Samsung’s Galaxy Ring comes in. While the idea of a smart ring isn’t exactly new, the Galaxy Ring is the first from a major tech company. It’s a clear shot across the bow at Apple, giving Android users access to a brand new type of device.
The Galaxy Ring is a simple circle, worn around the ring finger, with a titanium finish and color options including gold, silver, and black. It’s a bit on the thick side compared to a dumb ring, at 7mm wide and 2.6mm thick, although it’s on par with competing smart rings like the Oura ring. With weight ranging from 2.3g to 3g depending on how you size, it’s certainly more lightweight than a full smartwatch.
Utility is mostly for health tracking, so you can more unobtrusively check in on your sleep, heart rate, and skin temperature, but there’s also some light interaction with your phone thanks to the “double pinch” gesture. Like on the Apple Watch, you can tap your ring finger to your thumb twice in a row to control your phone’s camera or dismiss alarms, but there’s a catch: It only works with Samsung phones. It’s limited to the Z Fold 6 and Flip 6 at launch, but Samsung will be adding support for more phones in the future.
Unlike the Oura ring, the Galaxy Ring also doesn’t require a subscription to access its stats, making it one of the more valuable options on the market. That goes double when you factor in the included charging case, which is more portable than a charging puck. The Galaxy Ring is also versatile, thanks to 10ATM and IP68 water resistance (so you can wash your hands while wearing it).
Half fashion accessory and half smartwatch alternative, it’s still missing a few features, like blood oxygen measuring or podcast control, but it’s easily one of the least intrusive wearables to come from a major phone manufacturer yet.
Pre-orders for the Galaxy Ring are available now, with the device running $400 without discounts. Shipping starts on July 24.
