Last year, there was much talk about Samsung launching a smart ring to compete with the likes of the Oura ring, and last month it became a reality when the Korean company teased the Galaxy Ring in a slick video at the end of its Unpacked event.
It all went a bit quiet after that … until now, that is.
In a message shared on Sunday, Samsung announced that the Galaxy Ring will be “publicly displayed for the first time” during this week’s Mobile World Congress (MWC) event in Barcelona, Spain.
Note the word “displayed,” as that almost certainly means no hands-on time for those in attendance, with the Galaxy Ring instead possibly placed inside a glass cabinet under lock and key. Note the word “displayed,” as that almost certainly means no hands-on time for those in attendance, with the Galaxy Ring instead possibly placed inside a glass cabinet under lock and key [Update: It’s now become apparent that the Galaxy Ring at MWC is a non-functioning prototype that visitors will be allowed to handle].
Samsung could use the occasion to offer potential Galaxy Ring customers a few more tidbits that might persuade some to hold off buying one of the alternatives available in an exciting sector that’s becoming increasingly competitive. At the least, we’d love Samsung to share an approximate launch date for its first-ever smart ring.
If MWC visitors are indeed prohibited from trying out the Galaxy Ring, it could be that Samsung engineers still have a fair bit of work to do when it comes to packing a plethora of health-tracking features into the tiny device. Or perhaps it’s just part of a carefully planned, drawn-out marketing campaign designed to increase awareness and intensify anticipation before launch day (most likely, it’s a bit of both).
We’ll know more on Monday, and we’ll be sure to return with the details then.
In the meantime, check out this Digital Trends article that features some carefully considered ideas on what Samsung needs to do to make the Galaxy Ring a hit — from someone who definitely knows a thing or two about smart rings.
