The Samsung Galaxy Ring is likely to be at the forefront of a new health tracking campaign from Samsung, and could be one of the devices that surpasses Apple in innovative features like continuous blood pressure monitoring and glucose readings in blood
Currently, those two features are out of reach for consumer smartwatches and fitness trackers, and require a proper clinical device, but in an interview with Bloomberg, Samsung health executive Hon Pak says the company is working hard to develop them. Non-invasive glucose monitoring could apparently arrive “in some form within five years,” Samsung said.
“If we can control blood pressure and glucose continuously, we'll be in a completely different ball game,” Pak said. “I think that's where everyone is trying to get to. We're investing significantly in that.”
Getting these features into a small wrist-worn device isn't easy: People with diabetes have traditionally needed to use a finger-prick test to measure glucose levels, for example. Continuous, non-invasive glucose monitors that stick to the skin are now available, but they must be replaced every 7 to 14 days, which is not an option for a smartwatch.
give me a ring
Pak also mentioned the upcoming Galaxy Ring in the interview. It's expected to launch sometime in 2024, with activity and sleep tracking built in, but the Bloomberg report says “more health features” are planned for the future.
“The ring represents that community of people who want health tracking that is more convenient and less annoying,” Pak said. “It's meeting the need of a specific population of people who want to track and measure, but in a different way.”
Pak also went on record that future versions of the Samsung Galaxy Buds could well have more health sensors built in and that the company was exploring meditation and mental health options for virtual reality headsets.
Meanwhile, Apple certainly isn't sitting still: we hear it's working hard to make blood glucose monitoring technology available in upcoming Apple Watches, although its ongoing patent dispute may mean those plans are delayed in the future. foreseeable future.
