However, Apple, one of the leading technology companies and creator of the successful Apple Watch, with the new Series 10 as the spearhead, has not yet taken the step towards the development of a smart ring, despite rumors and patents that They have raised the expectations of their followers. What are the reasons that could be behind this decision?
Why isn’t Apple launching a smart ring?
One of the main reasons Apple could be delaying or avoiding launching a smart ring is its possible impact on Apple Watch sales. According to Tom Hale, CEO of Oura, one of the pioneering companies in the smart ring market, Apple could be evaluating a smart ring and smart watch in its ecosystem. they would not be entirely complementary. By having similar features, a ring could end up taking away your smartwatch sales.
Apple’s vision for its products has focused on developing devices that offer complete and unique experiences. Currently, the Apple Watch leads in terms of health and fitness tracking, as well as integration with the Apple ecosystem. A smart ring, being more discreet in terms of size, could offer fewer functions and, in the eyes of users, appear to be an “inferior version” of the watch. This approach was recently reinforced by Bloomberg analyst Mark Gurman, who asserted that there is no ring in development active by Apple.
Unlike smart watches, which offer a larger space to integrate sensors, screens and batteries, smart rings present a considerable challenge in terms of design and functionality. Apple, noted for its meticulous attention to detail and user experience, could be facing significant technical challenges when trying to develop a ring that meets its high standards.
We won’t see an Apple iRing yet
Designing a device with the ability to measure health parameters, record physical activity and at the same time guarantee sufficient autonomy is complex due to the small space of a ring. Hale mentions that achieving this type of product correctly is “difficult”, and so far, only a few companies like Oura have managed to position themselves in the market with successful proposals. Your brand, which recently launched the Oura Ring 4remains a reference in the smart ring industry, while Apple seems to closely observe the advances of these competitors before risking launching its own version.
Apple prefers to evaluate what the acceptance of new technologies would be like before adopting them, as demonstrated in the case of smart rings, where it has observed from a distance the launch of Samsung’s Galaxy Ring in 2024.
Apple has several patents which refer to devices similar to a smart ring, which has generated expectations about a possible “iRing”. However, Apple registers patents for various devices and technologies that in many cases never see the light of day, as part of its research and development strategy.
