- South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics’ latest smart ring, Galaxy Ring, debuted at the 2024 Mobile World Congress (MWC).
- Galaxy Ring will feature health-tracking functionalities, including heart rate and sleep monitoring, along with providing users with “vitality scores”.
- Samsung executives noted that artificial intelligence will be integrated into this product in the future.
South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics‘ latest smart ring, Galaxy Ring, made its debut at the 2024 Mobile World Congress (MWC).
Hon Pak, head of Samsung Electronics’ digital health team, discussed the product in an interview, noting it as the company’s first foray into the ring product category. He stated that the Galaxy Ring will feature health tracking functionalities, including heart rate and sleep monitoring, along with providing users with a daily score of their physical and mental well-being.
Pak mentioned that this sensor-equipped ring will be able to read metrics such as heart rate, breathing frequency, and the time needed for one to fall asleep in bed. Additionally, it will provide users with a “vitality score,” collecting data on physical and mental readiness to assess users’ work efficiency. All of these features can be accessed through Samsung’s health application.
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The ring will be released this year
The ring is scheduled for release this year, although Pak did not provide a timetable or pricing. Samsung has been striving in the health sector for several years. The introduction of this smart ring is expected to bolster Samsung’s positioning in the health domain.
Currently, Samsung has its own smartphones and smartwatches, with Galaxy Ring being the latest health product. Samsung stated that the decision to launch the “smart ring” was driven by its customers’ preferences, as “some people want to wear watches, some people want to wear rings and benefit from them,” as confirmed by Pak. When worn together with smartwatches, users will gain a more comprehensive insight into their health.
AI would play a role in Samsung’s health services
During the interview, Pak also discussed how artificial intelligence (AI) would play a role in Samsung’s health services. He pointed out that large language models, trained on vast amounts of data, serve as the foundation for applications like chatbots, offering deeper insights.
“Imagine this large language model acting as my digital assistant, simultaneously reviewing my medical records, physiological data, and interactions with mobile devices… this will bring more insights and personalised opportunities,” Pak envisioned. “In the future, there will be a digital assistant, as we believe it is absolutely necessary.”
Additionally, the company is considering offering subscription services for its Samsung Health application. However, Pak noted that before this, improvements in the application’s features and insights were necessary, with AI assistants offering assistance during this period.
