More technology companies will try to put a ring on your finger after the world’s biggest smartphone maker unveiled its smallest wearable device.
Samsung showed off its much-anticipated smart ring at a launch event in Paris this week, with the Galaxy Ring device designed to track wearers’ heart rate, breathing, workouts and sleep.
But Australians will have to wait longer to access the device, and experts warn it may not replace a smartwatch for some but merely complement it to get a fuller picture of their health.
Smart ring technology has been available for more than a decade and data firm ABI estimates more than 18.9 million devices were sold last year with that number forecast to rise to more than 50 million by 2028.
But Samsung is the first tech giant to invest in the technology and will compete with market pioneers such as Oura and Ultrahuman.
Samsung digital health development head Matthew Wiggins announced the ring’s launch at Carrousel du Louvre in Paris, telling the audience the device would have a titanium body, seven-day battery life, and three health sensors.
“This is the pinnacle of unintrusive health technology,” Dr Wiggins said.
“Designed to be worn 24/7, the Galaxy Ring is lightweight and comfortable so you can track your health throughout the day and the night - a true game-changer when it comes to sleep monitoring.”
The ring sensors measure a wearer’s heart rate, breathing, and movement and feed the data to a connected phone, allowing artificial intelligence software to create a wellness score.
The Samsung device will compete with devices in their second and third generations such as the Ultrahuman Ring Air and Oura Ring but, unlike those models, it won't come with an ongoing subscription fee.
A study of the latest Oura device, published in the Sleep Medicine journal in March, found its sleep-tracking technology was accurate and the device’s findings did not differ significantly from polysomnography tests.
Telsyte managing director Foad Fadaghi said smart rings could be popular in Australia, where wearable technology adoption is high. However, a ring may not replace a smartwatch for all users.
“It might be useful for things like sleep-tracking where people might not feel comfortable wearing a bulky watch to bed and for people who don’t want to have another screen,” he said.
“It’s going to serve as a more specific health device as opposed to a generalised computer on the arm.”
But Australians will have to wait longer than other consumers to access the device as an official launch date is yet to be announced.
The $US399 Galaxy Ring is scheduled to arrive in the US on July 24.
Samsung Australia mobile experiences head Eric Chou told AAP the company was committed to bringing the smart ring to Australia, with a launch penned in for later this year.
The reporter travelled to France as a guest of Samsung Australia.
