Smart Rings: The Comeback of Simple Fitness Trackers in 2024
In the early 2010s, fitness bands like Fitbit, Jawbone, and Nike dominated the wearable tech market. These simple, screen-free bands were popular for tracking workouts and steps. However, over the past decade, the wearable tech world has evolved significantly. Many early players in the fitness tracking scene have either shifted their focus to smartwatches or exited the market entirely. Today’s fitness bands have adopted the qualities of smartwatches, offering colorful screens and the ability to show notifications and alerts. But now, it seems that simple fitness trackers are making a comeback in a different form: smart rings.
Samsung recently made headlines with its Galaxy Ring, a new device for monitoring activity, health, and sleep. It’s not the first smart ring on the market, as early entrants like Oura have paved the way. However, with Chinese tech maker Honor and even Apple reportedly experimenting with smart rings, there’s more attention than ever on these tiny fitness monitors disguised as jewelry.
On a basic level, smart rings and fitness bands serve the same purpose. They aim to deliver metrics about your activity, sleep, and overall well-being. For example, the Oura Ring provides a Readiness Score that indicates whether you’re rested enough for a hard workout or should take it easy. The Evie Ring, designed with women’s health in mind, can detect sleep, steps, blood oxygen levels, and heart rate. The Ultrahuman Air measures bodily signals and sleep to provide health tips and insights. Samsung’s Galaxy Ring is expected to follow suit with its My Vitality Score feature.
What sets smart rings apart from fitness bands is their focus on health metrics rather than “smart” features like relaying notifications. Smart rings blend in more seamlessly with everyday attire and resemble ordinary pieces of jewelry. This is reminiscent of early fitness straps like the Jawbone Up and Misfit Shine, which had a display-free, subtle look and were primarily designed for fitness and sleep tracking.
While smart rings and fitness bands have some overlap in their intended audiences, there are important differences between the two. Smart rings can measure metrics like temperature and blood oxygen that weren’t available on cheaper fitness bands. Rings tend to passively monitor health metrics, while wristbands are more focused on logging exercise. Smart rings also tend to be more expensive than fitness bands and offer a more seamless design.
Fitness bands have been overshadowed by smartwatches in recent years, with shipments expected to fall to just 12% by 2027. People want more out of their wearable devices, and smartwatches have been able to provide that with features like music control, notifications, and smart home access. However, the increased interest in health and wellness could work in favor of smart rings. The US wellness market is estimated to be worth $480 billion and growing by 5% to 10% per year, with fitness being one of the biggest spending categories.
Smart rings are having a moment, filling the gap left by fitness trackers. While the market is dominated by smartwatches, the unique focus on health metrics and the desire for health-oriented products may give smart rings a chance to thrive. As technology continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how smart rings shape the wearable tech landscape in the coming years.
