Samsung unveils the Galaxy Ring with health-tracking features to 'simplify everyday wellness'
It's been a long time coming, but the smart ring market is finally heating up - thanks to the upcoming release of Samsung's Galaxy Ring.
The market has been dominated for a long time by Oura, but Samsung's version will likely shake things up, and it'll presumably tie in really nicely for anyone who already owns a Galaxy phone.
There will be three colors to choose from for the ring, which has a glossy metallic finish: platinum silver, gold and ceramic black.
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We knew the Galaxy Ring was coming, of course - Samsung had already mentioned it a few times over the last year and had shown us one image of it, but this is the first time people have actually been able to actually see a prototype.
The ring is reportedly quite thick and chunky, which is no surprise given the amount of tech that it's squeezing in - from heart rate monitoring to sleep and period tracking - but it looks like it'll end up being a very similar size to Oura's popular rings.
According to US tech news website The Verge, the Galaxy Ring will probably come in sizes 5 to 13 (or S to XL), which suggests there are a lot of options depending on the size of your finger.
Samsung says the ring will track your sleep by monitoring your heart rate, breathing and movement, and for the very best results in all tracking metrics, it can be paired with one of its Galaxy Watch models for a more complete tracking system.
But despite this, Samsung isn't ready to completely dish all the dirt on its ring.
For one thing, we don't know its pricing at all, or when it'll actually be available - Samsung suggests it'll come to market 'later this year'.
And the tech giant also hasn't said exactly what sensors the ring is rocking, beyond its ability to track heart rate and breathing.
Battery life is also a huge selling point for a smart ring, since its main advantage is that you don't have to take it off every day to charge it like you do for many smartwatches, and can easily wear it through the night. Since an Oura ring lasts pretty much a full week for most users, Samsung will surely be aiming to at least match that.
Galaxy Ring owners will apparently get some new upgrades to the Galaxy Health app to help them achieve wellness goals, too, in the form of tips and updates on their progress - a system that will apparently come to all users soon.
So, we'll have to keep our ears to the ground for more news on the Galaxy Ring in the coming weeks and months - before it eventually becomes available to buy.