Smart rings hit mainstream shelves ahead of the weekend, with Samsung’s Galaxy Ring squaring off against Oura and Ultrahuman
Enzo Reno ·
Shoppers considering fitness trackers this weekend will see smart rings featured more prominently at major retailers and brand stores in the United States and Europe, led by Samsung’s Galaxy Ring, Oura’s Gen3, and Ultrahuman’s Ring Air. The category moved closer to the mainstream after Samsung began shipping Galaxy Ring in August 2024, giving Android users an alternative to screen based wearables.
The timing matters because the products now differ clearly on price, subscriptions, and platform lock in. Oura’s membership costs $5.99 per month in the United States for most insights, while Samsung does not charge a health subscription for Galaxy Ring, and Ultrahuman markets no mandatory subscription.
What to know before you buy Samsung lists Galaxy Ring at $399.99 in the United States, and the device works with Android, with full features optimized for Samsung Galaxy phones. Samsung promotes six to seven days of battery life, a titanium build, and 10 ATM water resistance, and includes a charging case. Galaxy Ring does not support iPhone.
Oura’s Gen3 ring ranges from $299 to $549 depending on finish, and it supports iOS and Android. Oura states typical battery life of four to seven days, water resistance to 100 meters, and access to readiness, sleep, and period prediction features with the monthly membership.
Ultrahuman’s Ring Air has commonly retailed around $349 in the United States, supports iOS and Android, and does not require a subscription for basic metrics. Ultrahuman raised $35 million in 2024, a mix of equity and debt, according to TechCrunch, to expand manufacturing and software.
Market context and data IDC reported 504.1 million wearable devices shipped globally in 2023, up 1.7 percent year over year, with Apple at roughly 30 percent share and Samsung near 9 percent. Counterpoint Research wrote in 2024 that Samsung’s entry into rings would validate the form factor and lift volumes across vendors. Oura raised a $100 million Series C in 2022 led by Temasek, and Samsung Electronics reported about 266,000 employees in its 2023 annual report, underscoring the resources behind this push.
For the broader tech landscape, rings show how health metrics drive ecosystem stickiness. Buyers should weigh battery life, comfort, and whether they want insights tied to a phone brand, since data portability and cross platform support can determine long term value.