Status Update: Apple’s Reported Pause on Smart Ring Development with Health Tracking Features
The realm of wearable fitness tracking devices is witnessing an evolution, with a burgeoning interest in ring-shaped wearables poised to revolutionize the market. Recently, Samsung unveiled its Galaxy Ring at the Mobile World Congress 2024 (MWC), touted to deliver a comprehensive suite of health tracking functionalities. Similarly, Apple has been making strides in this arena, having patented a smart ring boasting haptic feedback and pressure-sensitive input as far back as August last year. Despite this, a recent report from Bloomberg suggests that Apple has yet to initiate active development on this front. Instead, the tech behemoth appears to be shifting its focus towards the exploration of other wearables, including smart glasses and enhanced AirPods equipped with cutting-edge features.
According to insights shared by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in his latest Power On newsletter, Apple is poised to broaden its wearable portfolio beyond its existing offerings, which encompass AirPods, Apple Watch, and the recently introduced Vision Pro headset. Among the potential innovations on the horizon are a pair of smart glasses aimed at rivaling Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses, along with revamped AirPods boasting integrated cameras and advanced sensors.
Although Apple has delved into the concept of a smart ring equipped with health tracking features akin to those found in the Apple Watch, Gurman indicates that active development on this front has yet to commence. Nonetheless, the envisioned smart ring could emerge as a cost-effective alternative to the Apple Watch, seamlessly integrating with Apple’s Health and Fitness ecosystem. This strategic move not only enhances user engagement within the Apple ecosystem but also solidifies the company’s competitive stance in the wearables market, offering consumers yet another compelling reason to remain loyal to the brand.
The company has also reportedly held talks about developing smart glasses akin to Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses that launched last year. According to Gurman, the smart glasses could also include cameras, speakers, and health sensors. The glasses could replace AirPods, with audio capabilities, bigger batteries, more sensors and AI features. Apple’s smart glasses would also come at a lower price point than the Apple Vision Pro, which sells at $3,499.
Additionally, Apple is also reportedly mulling putting cameras and smart capabilities on an already popular product — AirPods. Gurman said that Apple started investigating the possibility of packing its earphones with advanced AI and health sensors and cameras last year. The cameras could be used to collect data, which would be further processed to aid people as they go about their daily routines.
While Apple is exploring developing these wearable devices, they may not necessarily make it to market. The company is also said to be working on a foldable device larger than an iPhone and a new version of the HomePod with a touch display.
Samsung’s Galaxy Ring, on the other hand, will likely debut in the second half of 2024. The smart ring was first teased Galaxy Unpacked event on January 17 and was showcased this week at MWC 2024. The ring is expected to come with health tracking features present on the Galaxy Watch — 24×7 heart rate monitor, a blood oxygen sensor, a sleep monitoring tracker, and other fitness tracking capabilities.