January's Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event has drawn to a close after a host of familiar and famous faces took to the stage to rave about the brand's impressive all-new Galaxy S24 lineup. And, in true entertainment fashion, they left the audience wanting more.
"Exclusive leak reveals secret Samsung Galaxy Unpacked reveal," the memes said, only to be accompanied by a blank sheet of paper — nice one random Twitter/X users. Oh, how we laughed, with much merriment and glee. But how wrong we were, as in the closing moments of the event the South Korean giant would unleash its ring upon an unsuspecting audience.
Samsung, you sly old dog, you.
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked: The Galaxy Ring
Capping off a keynote speech about Samsung Health, was the reveal that not only is the rumored Galaxy smart ring real, but that the company is ready to build hype for it right away — ensuring all eyes turn to its next Unpacked event, likely to take place at some point in July.
The Galaxy Ring has been the source of much speculation towards the latter half of 2023 after a series of trademark filings were unearthed under names such as "Iris Ring," "Dual Ring," "Triple Ring," and "Galaxy Ring."
To be perfectly honest, if it wasn't for the fact that Samsung patents were also revealed to include some form of functionality for smart ring controllers. I might've been happy to believe that these names were some initial ideas for the "Circle to Search" feature showcased earlier in the show.
However, as it would turn out, the Galaxy Ring is, in fact, the real deal — an Oura-esque health-tracking smart ring with sensors and everything. Sadly, that's about as much as we know. No release date, no features, no nothing. Just a name and a CGI teaser that evokes brief nostalgic memories of a time when it was possible to actually enjoy a Halo game.
Outlook
Samsung's tech tendrils continue to spread, this time into the smart ring market. Perhaps most surprising was the fact that Samsung didn't take this opportunity to reveal its long-awaited mixed reality headset instead, especially with the Vision Pro releasing right around the corner.
However, that market is growing a little cluttered at the moment with LG, Meta, Valve, and Apple all potentially entering into a virtual melee throughout the coming year. Meanwhile, smart rings feel like somewhat of an untapped market by the major players, and in Samsung fashion, they may wish to get in while the going is good and set the standard for other major players to abide by.
That's all we truly know for now, the rest is just rumor and speculation. However, if you want to know more about the Galaxy Ring, check back with us often for the latest Samsung news as it arrives — and make sure you've marked your calendar for the July 2024 Samsung Galaxy Unpacked.
