Can iPhone users switch for a Galaxy Ring as it turns Samsung Health into a walled garden?،
Apple Watch compatibility with Android is non-existent, and for some reason Samsung is set to replicate this walled garden of the iOS ecosystem with its new accessory, the Galaxy Ring.
While a smart ring would only be a blink of an eye in the eyes of Apple's head of device development, Samsung not only has a working prototype but also showed off teaser units at the MWC 2024 show where we had the opportunity to preview the different sizes and colors and get hints on how it will work with Samsung AI.
Samsung is planning its so-called Galaxy Ring for release later this summer as well, perhaps even with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6, or a little before their announcement so as not to steal the thunder of its 2024 foldable phones with the all-new form factor. Excited? Not so fast, non-Samsung phone owners!
Samsung Galaxy Ring Compatibility
Limit
Just as Apple's Watch is only fully compatible with its iPhones, the Galaxy Ring and any new Samsung Health features it will take advantage of may only be compatible with Samsung phones and accessories at launch. This phone exclusivity is even more important for a screenless device like the smart ring than for a smart watch.
Mobile devices will become the primary access point to AI, and thanks to Samsung Galaxy – with our broad and comprehensive product portfolio, legacy of innovation and open collaboration philosophy – we are well-positioned to accelerate its expansion worldwide. That's why we're excited to introduce the Samsung Galaxy Ring later this year, bringing Samsung's accumulated innovations in the smallest form for comfortable 24/7 wearing. As a new addition to our wearable product portfolio, Galaxy Ring will offer users a whole new way to simplify everyday wellness, giving them better insights and more ways to understand themselves day and night.
Which users? According to the head of its digital health department, Hon Pak, before
CNETthe electronics giant has developed the
Galaxy Ring in order to bring “
Choice and convenience for Samsung customers in the form of a new product type” and that's all.
Samsung is so proud of the Galaxy Ring form factor that it keeps it exclusive
What about Galaxy Ring compatibility with iPhones and even others Android Phones? Apparently, Galaxy Ring exclusivity on Samsung devices is “where we are,” he said. “And then beyond? I think it's to be determined” added Pak.
This goes against the freewheeling spirit of Android and even the philosophy of its current lines of wearables like the Galaxy Watch
series. Currently, it supports phones running Android 8 and above, except for some exclusive features like Samsung Pay that only work when paired with the company's phones.
While the
Galaxy Ring compatibility with the Galaxy Watch will be there, and Samsung has even promised interoperability, its support for iPhones and even the limited support for other Android phones that the Galaxy Watch line enjoys will apparently be non-existent for quite a while and certainly at launch. It works very well with the
Galaxy S24 series anyway!
Would iPhone users jump ship for the Galaxy Ring?
A major challenge
Samsung hopes that the Galaxy Ring is such an attractive new form factor that it could very well entice some people to join Samsung from other brands and even jump the iOS ship.
We recognize the iOS/Android challenge and ultimately hope our devices will be of such caliber that people will be willing to make the switch.
It's also good timing, now that Apple is embroiled in litigation that removed blood oxygen measurement functionality from its venerable Watch line of wearables.
If this is a new strategy, Samsung is obviously considering Galaxy Ring a gateway drug to its digital health ecosystem and Samsung devices in general. Granted, this is arguably the first such form factor in a branded laptop from one of the world's two largest phone makers. Samsung is apparently so convinced of the uniqueness of this new device that it wants to keep it exclusive to its dedicated fan base and even hopes to attract a few stragglers into the iOS aisle.
However, the success of this strategy will not depend solely on the Galaxy Ring price, but also on the execution of its digital health or fitness tracking features, and if Samsung's bet pays off, it will see wider adoption of its entire ecosystem of phones, portable devices and accessories.
Otherwise, Samsung Health risks becoming Apple's walled garden without having nearly the same clout, no matter how cool and innovative it is. Galaxy Ring turns out to be.
