Samsung’s Unpacked 2023 event is less than a week away, and considering how this year’s showcase event is being held in its home country of South Korea, it leads to an intriguing possibility that the company could unveil something totally new. Wearables have been in Samsung’s wheelhouse for a long time, like its lineup of smartwatches, so it’s not totally out of the question for a ‘Galaxy Ring’ debut for Unpacked. It could be the ‘one more thing’ moment we’ve been waiting for.
Rumors have long swirled around Samsung creating a smart ring that would track health vitals and stats. Patents uncovered in 2022 showed the company’s take on a smart ring-style wearable, similar to the critically acclaimed Oura Ring. However, the latest report indicates that the development process has already begun.
What is the Samsung Galaxy Ring?
As the name suggests, the Galaxy Ring is a wearable that would be fashioned in the shape of a ring worn on your finger. The Oura smart ring is a great example of what Samsung’s version could turn out: a normal looking ring on the outside, stuffed with sensors on the inside to track your health activities and workouts. Think of it like a normal ring you’d wear, but with the health tracking functions of smartwatches.
However, recent patent applications filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) reveal that there are nearly a handful of names that could ultimately become this Samsung smart ring. Galaxy Circle, Galaxy Index, Galaxy Insight, and Galaxy Pulse were all the names stated in the filings — but the juiciest part is that all of the filings mention smart glasses as well.
Samsung needs a response to Apple’s VR headset
Considering how the Apple Vision Pro made this year’s WWDC 2023 keynote memorable, Samsung needs a response that could equal the excitement around Apple’s VR headset. And you know what? Samsung’s Unpacked 2023 event would be the appropriate time for a teaser at the very least.
We could potentially see Samsung tease this new wearable because it’s in development right now according to the Korean outlet, The Elec. A source reveals that Japanese company Meiko has been tasked with producing the printed circuit boards (PCB) that would be the foundation of the smart ring.
While this is a good start, it’s almost unlikely that an actual prototype would be available in time for Unpacked. But hey, anything’s possible — including simple teaser images to get us to take notice, along with key features. Mass production would only occur once Samsung approves the prototype that Meiko develops, so it could be an even longer time frame before we see it in the flesh.
It could be that ‘one more thing’ at Unpacked
Don’t get us wrong, wearables fashioned into the design of a ring are neat, but not necessarily as innovative over other things we've seen. That’s why it would make for a compelling case for Samsung to perhaps make an introduction to a new experience that would leverage this ‘Galaxy Ring’ with some kind of smart glasses — whether it’s similar to Apple’s Vision Pro headset or something entirely different.
Rumors hint to tepid upgrades on some of the other stuff we’ll probably see at Unpacked, like its foldable smartphones in the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Z Fold 5. This new wearable could be the ‘one more thing’ that can propel Samsung to generate buzz to an otherwise predictable event.
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