Blog

Samsung looks to be the latest tech giant eyeing the intriguing smart ring market but it is unlikely to be the only one. Reports suggest Apple also has plans to enter this segment and a patent filing shares details about the rumoured product which may or may not launch in the future. But unlike most tech brands focusing on smart rings, Apple might be going for a simplistic approach.

The filing claims Apple wants a smart fitness ring to offer haptic feedback for notifications that will most likely pop up from the iPhone. The filing was filed in September 2021 and Apple was granted the patent in August 2022, which seems to suggest that the company has a concrete plan to develop and launch the product.

Some of the smart rings that have launched in recent months look to offer a slew of features but Apple intends to use the iPhone as the primary device and have the smart ring project notifications for messages, fitness alerts or even mail.

Smart rings could be the next frontier for the wearable fitness segment, and probably the most practical device that can sit on a finger and not intrude on space or be glaring at a screen. The other intriguing fact about the form factor is companies can tweak the size and make it easy to wear on the ear or nose.

Apple tends to file patents for various products, which could be part of its product strategy or just for the sake of owning the rights to a specific technology. The patent from Apple also hints that the ring could be used to control laptops, headphones and computers as well.

Either way, we are eager to see how the smart ring segment shapes up, with Samsung expected to be the first major brand to launch its Galaxy Ring in the near future. But having Apple entering the fray would surely get the industry talking and maybe have more products in the pipeline.