Samsung Electronics Co. will launch its first Galaxy Ring in the second half of this year as the South Korean tech giant is finalizing research and development of the new health tracking gadget, Vice President Hon Pak said at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona on Monday.
Samsung displayed the ring at the global tech fair for the first time, featuring product details such as functions and designs. The company will likely launch the health tracker after Galaxy Unpacked in July or August, according to industry sources.
“The ring is stylish and comfortable to wear, enabling the collection of health data for a long time,” said Pak. “There are people who want batteries that are convenient to use and last long. They want something simple and straightforward,” he added.
Pak, who is a US dermatologist, said he wore a Galaxy Ring for three months, though a different version than the one displayed at MWC for three months.
“I thought I slept well for seven hours, but I found that (the quality of) my rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and deep sleep was lower than that of other people my age. I also found that my heart rate didn’t drop when I slept after eating or drinking late – this helped me change my habits,” he said.
“We’ve created four metrics to collect and track health data while users sleep. We will introduce a so-called vitality score based on a user’s heart rate, breathing and movement while sleeping and the time it takes to fall asleep,” he explained.
Galaxy Ring will also feature women’s healthcare and heart health monitoring.
Samsung has developed a technology to early detect atrial fibrillation and sleep apnea through its Samsung Health app. The company is working on technologies to predict ovulation, fertility and menstruation in a partnership with sensor developer, said Pak.
By integrating generative artificial intelligence with its healthcare platform, Samsung is developing a Galaxy Ring algorithm that coaches users for running in sync with heart rate and provides information on stages of sleep, he said.
Although the company unveiled nine sizes of Galaxy Ring, Pak said it would need a process to fit each user’s finger, hinting at that the device’s size could be customized.
Asked if there would be any backlash from the medical industry to advancement in health data trackers, Pak noted that the US healthcare and medical industry has a severe shortage of talent and technological innovation is the only key to solving the problem.
Write to Ji-Eun Jeong at jeong@hankyung.com
Jihyun Kim edited this article.
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