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12.01.2024 18:45, Pavel Kotov
In recent years, the only recognizable smart ring on sale was the Oura Ring, but this year’s CES was an unprecedented year for gadgets of this type, reports The Verge. Perhaps real competition is brewing in the smart rings segment, which will contribute to its development.
Image source: theverge.com
The smart ring represents a promising form factor for wearable devices, but getting it right is no easy task. Measuring your pulse and blood oxygen levels on the back of your finger is more convenient than on your wrist. But the device must have an attractive appearance, which can only be achieved through fairly compact components – as a result, the rings turn out to be more expensive and less functional than smart watches.
The closest device to going on sale was the Movano Evie Ring. It was first shown at CES 2022 and will be released to the market this month. The $269 gadget is primarily suitable for women, although the manufacturer assures that everyone can use it. It comes with a simplified app that tracks blood oxygen levels, heart rate, activity, and monthly cycles—all analyzed using artificial intelligence algorithms. The Evie Ring has an attractive design and, being unlocked, can be extended to accommodate swollen fingers. Movano also plans to obtain FDA certification to highlight the high accuracy of the built-in sensors.
The Amazfit Helio Ring, a smart ring that is suitable for athletes tracking their recovery cycles, also seems promising. It also syncs with your Amazfit smartwatch, which you can take off at night, knowing that the ring is keeping track of all the necessary metrics. The manufacturer is famous for its ability to produce functional devices at modest prices – perhaps the Helio Ring will have such an advantage when it launches this spring.
At CES 2024, many other, more or less niche devices were presented. For example, a Zikr Ring with the ability to set five daily prayer time reminders and a digital tasbiha counter is addressed to Muslims. The RingConn device offered similar features to the Oura Ring, but at a more modest price. Large brands are also interested in the segment – it previously became known that Samsung is working on the Galaxy Ring smart ring. Perhaps some critical mass of proposals should accumulate, which will generate the healthy competition necessary for the development of devices of this type.
