This week Samsung came out with a shiny new toy -- the Galaxy Ring -- and Apple fans might be feeling some jealousy. But even though Apple has filed patents for smart rings (including some from several years ago ) don't count on Apple making a smart ring anytime soon. I like the idea of wearing a ring as a health tracker, and I wear one called the Evie .
But using it has helped me see that a smart ring would be a problematic product for Apple, at least as the technology stands today. Working on a smart ring seems to go against Apple's current product goals. In this week's episode of One More Thing, embedded above, I explore all the reasons Apple has for not making a smart ring and why I expect it to focus on improving sensors in the Apple Watch.
There's no unique health feature The Oura ring is probably the most popular smart ring model today, and one way it stands out is by taking all your data and turn it into various health scores. Samsung employs that same idea in the Galaxy Ring , using what it calls an "energy score." But in the upcoming WatchOS 11 update , Apple will use the Vitals app to measure overall health on a daily basis.
The Apple Watch will also measure intensity and duration of workouts with Training Load Scores. All of this is measured with Apple Watch sensors, which can get more robust data than what's possible in a ring. A ring can't save your life Apple markets its products as a way to help you live a healthier life, but more than that, the Apple Watch is.