There have been several rumours in recent weeks about Apple running a smart ring to wear on the finger and while it’s unclear if the task is in active progress at the moment, we thought we’ll collect the rumours that are making the rounds.
Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Ring This consultant is a compilation of what we’ve heard so far about an Apple-branded smart ring.
A rumor from the Electronic Times in February said that Apple is “accelerating the development” of a smart ring with health-related features.
Like the Apple Watch, an Apple Ring can simply track heart rate, activity, sleep, and breathing rate, data that provides users with sleep data and physical activity recommendations.
Apple may also use a smart ring as an input device for iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro, or Mac.
Apple already has an Apple Watch that can track various fitness metrics, but a smart ring would be more comfortable for certain activities. A ring might be better for sleeping, for example, or in situations where the dolls need to be covered, such as when wearing wristbands.
A ring probably wouldn’t want a constant connection to an iPhone or other Apple device because it doesn’t have a screen, so the battery would probably last longer. On the other hand, a smart ring would transmit data via Bluetooth or a similar method, so even if it gathered knowledge, that knowledge wouldn’t sync to the iPhone in real-time like it does with the Apple Watch.
It’s conceivable that a smart ring would be more affordable than the Apple Watch, as high-end smart rings cost around $300 on Apple’s competitors.
Samsung is launching a Galaxy Ring that is expected to be available in the second part of the year. It can track heart rate, activity, and sleep, and is also capable of generating wireless bills and monitoring Samsung devices.
Companies like Oura and Ultrahuman have been producing and promoting rings for several years. The third-generation Oura Ring is capable of collecting activity data and measuring heart rate, breathing rate, and sleep quality.
The Ultrahuman Ring Air measures core rate, skin temperature, respiratory rate, recovery times, and sleep.
Apple has patented the Wise Ring technology. One patent, for example, explains how a smart ring (or multiple smart rings) can be used as a method for a virtual reality headset. The sensors in the ring would collect the user’s information, and the haptic output could simply provide feedback.
Another patent describes the use of a touchscreen ring on a TV or tablet, while a third describes an NFC-enabled smart ring.
While Electronic Times said Apple was seriously considering a smart ring, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman claimed in February that Apple isn’t actively developing a wearable device at the moment.
Apple’s business design team pitched the concept of a fitness-focused smart ring to executives a few years ago, but it’s arguably not a task Apple is planning to bring to market just yet.
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