Report: Samsung Galaxy Ring will track an embarrassing but important health metric
If you're excited about Samsung's upcoming wearable, the Galaxy Ring, you'll be happy that a new report suggests the smart digit adornment will track an occasionally embarrassing but critical health metric.
The company's Galaxy Watch 6 has many health-tracking features, making it a must-wear device. One feature is worth a look every morning after the alarm goes off. But people may not want to wear a smartwatch to bed.
Enter the Galaxy Ring.
As first reported by Android Authority after the tech publication activated a slew of Galaxy Ring-focused health features in the Samsung Health app, the Samsung Ring seems to be able to detect snoring and heavy breathing while sleeping. In scientific research, evidence shows that chronic snoring can be linked to heart disease. So, while snoring can be a bit embarrassing, it could signal more significant health problems.
It also seems that, like the Galaxy Watch, you'll need to view the data on your phone via the app rather than directly on the Galaxy Ring.
Even though the Galaxy Watch is equipped with a microphone, Samsung Health requires your phone to record audio for better, more accurate results, and the Galaxy Ring will need the same.
The Samsung Ring seems to be able to detect snoring and heavy breathing while sleeping.
The smart ring was first teased at the January Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event, and so far, it's generated a lot of buzz. Besides Oura, there aren't many other popular competitors in the smart ring space.
It's widely expected, though not officially, that Samsung will reveal its new smart ring at the Galaxy Unpacked event in Paris on July 10.
The Galaxy Ring's health-tracking potential
Android Authority took a close look at work-in-progress code in the Samsung Health app, and it revealed quite a few health-tracking features that we've seen in the company's latest Galaxy Watch 6. Some features found in the app's code may not ever make it to public release, but it's generally a good way to predict what the ring might be capable of.
As expected, the Galaxy Ring will be able to measure your heart rate and stress levels. It looks like it'll also be capable of measuring your skin temperature, and then using that data to predict your period cycle.
What else do we know about Samsung's Galaxy Ring?
With just over a week until the Galaxy Ring's full debut, the anticipation is palpable.
For better or worse, this is the first smart ring launch from one of the Big Three mobile brands — Apple, Samsung, and Google — and it'll be exciting to see how the Galaxy Ring compares to the Galaxy Watch once it arrives.
Until then, we're left with all the Galaxy Ring rumors we've accumulated thus far. Thanks to Yogesh Brar via X, we know the Galaxy Ring may cost $300 - $350.
While the Big Three haven't released a ring, the Galaxy Ring is far from the first such device on the market.
A leader at Oura, one of the biggest makers of smart rings, tells Laptop Mag that the company sees Samsung's addition as a sign that the market is healthy.
Jason Russell, VP of Consumer Software at Oura, said in a previous interview that he's confident in Oura — despite Samsung's dramatic entrance into the smart ring space:
"We’ve been around for over a decade, and in that time, we have invested heavily in research and development to improve the accuracy of our algorithms and introduce new, innovative features to truly make Oura an everyday health companion."
According to a lawsuit Samsung preemptively filed against Oura to prevent Oura from filing patent claims against the Galaxy Ring, Samsung's new wearable will likely be released "in or around August of this year."
But for more specific details, we'll have to wait until the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event on July 10 at 9 a.m. Eastern.
It's not an event to sleep on.
