Apple has abandoned the idea of developing a smart ring that would monitor the health of its wearer. This is reported by Android Headlines, citing Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman's Power On newsletter.
Rumors about the possible appearance of an Apple smart ring emerged in early 2024, as soon as Samsung confirmed that it was working on its own development in this niche. There were assumptions that the device would allow users to control other devices of the brand in one way or another. The company even patented this idea.
But Apple came to the conclusion that smart rings could do almost everything that smartwatches do, but would be cheaper to sell. Instead, the company decided to focus its efforts on watches.
In addition, the smart ring segment is still a niche market, so Apple is not sure that the demand for them will be sufficient to make it worthwhile to participate in it.
It remains to be seen whether the potential boom in this segment will force the company to reconsider its decision. Sales of the first Galaxy Ring exceeded Samsung's initial expectations. In addition, new competitors in this area have recently emerged, such as the Oura Ring 4.