We now know when to expect the Samsung Galaxy Ring to arrive, and all it takes is a test to give us that information.
Samsung has filed a preliminary injunction against Oura, creator of the Oura Ring, seeking a declaratory judgment that would prevent Oura from filing patent applications against the Galaxy Ring. Citing what it calls an example of a complaint filed by Oura against other smart ring manufacturers, Samsung wants a US district court to find that any claim covers “functions common to almost all smart rings.” (You can read a PDF of Samsung’s legal filing.)
There is a more interesting detail in this lawsuit than the claims and counterclaims about smart ring technologies: Samsung is also revealing when it will ship the Galaxy Ring, which it first showed at the Galaxy Unpacked event earlier this year. According to the lawsuit, Samsung plans to sell the Galaxy Ring in the United States “around August.”
We expect more details about the Galaxy Ring, as well as confirmation of a release date, at Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Unpacked event, which is expected to take place this summer. Assuming the July 10th date for this event is accurate, an August ship date for the Galaxy Ring would fit nicely into this timeline.
The Galaxy Ring is exactly what its name suggests: a ring you wear on your finger that offers fitness and health features. Among the Galaxy Ring features that Samsung has already announced is Vitality Score, which measures your resting state. We expect the ring to offer a built-in heart rate sensor with the ability to monitor blood pressure and detect aFib, assuming Samsung can get regulatory approval for these features.
Samsung didn’t hint at a price, but based on the price of competing devices, we’d expect something around $300.
The Oura Ring currently dominates the smart ring market, and Oura probably wants to keep things that way. That’s why we could see Oura and Samsung battle it out in court as their respective rings battle for space on customers’ fingers. We have a Galaxy Ring vs. Oura Ring comparison that looks at how the competition might stack up, based on early Galaxy Ring details and rumors.