Smart wearable devices include smart watches, smart bracelets, TWS headphones and some other types of products. Some of these categories, such as watches, bracelets, headphones, etc., have become quite mature, and have gradually become “necessities of life”, while other categories still developing as new products – such as smart glasses, smart rings, etc., is still a niche market.
However, smart rings are likely to face an upcoming explosion – recently, more and more news have pointed out that, major consumer electronics manufacturers are accelerating their deployment in this field.
Samsung, Apple, Fitbit… is it a new category about to break out?
The 3C giants that attract the most attention are Apple and Samsung.
Samsung smart ring:
News reported that Samsung submitted a trademark application, for “Galaxy Circle” to the Korean Intellectual Property Office in July. Together with the previously registered “Galaxy Ring” trademark, and the words “Ring Support” that appeared in the Samsung Health App, Samsung smart rings might already going to mass production stage, and it may be launch for sale early next year.
Moreover, Samsung’s recent patent application to the UK Intellectual Property Office further confirmed the existence of smart rings. In the patent, the finger-worn device has interactive functions and a camera, and is very close to a conventional “ring” in appearance and wearing method.
Apple smart ring:
Apple’s side, a patent previously applied by Apple to the U.S. Trademark and Patent Office also attracted people’s attention.
In the patent, this device is straightforwardly labeled as a “Smart Ring”, but its functions are somewhat different from Samsung’s. It is mainly used as an interactive device, with Mac, iPhone, AirPods, Apple TV, VR headsets and other devices are linked.
It can also be seen in the patent diagram, that Apple has also designed 16 interaction methods for this “Smart Ring”. Combined with the fingertip interaction announced when the Apple Vision Pro was previously released, the interactive attributes of Apple’s “Smart Ring” are very significant.
Smart Ring
Other brand smart ring:
In terms of other brands, sportswear head brand Fitbit is also reportedly developing smart rings. A patent application filed by Fitbit in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office shows that ,a ring device worn on the finger is monitoring SpO2 blood oxygen saturation, and the mobile phone screen in the patent image shows “Measuring from the fitness ring…” The text caused speculation about the “Fitbit Ring”.
Although the actual product has not yet been released, and the form of each product may be different, the competing layouts of leading 3C brands such as Samsung, Apple, and Fitbit may have hinted that smart rings are on the eve of the outbreak, and the smart ring track It will also expand rapidly – in the future, rings on fingertips are likely to become one of the mainstream smart wearable categories.