Activity rings are here, there is not much time left before we see these compact devices at the price of an activity bracelet like the Xiaomi Smart Band. But Can they really replace smart watches? I have doubts, in my case I don’t think so.
I got my first smartwatch in 2012, a first generation Sony Smartwatch that would have nothing to do with the functionality of current watches. From this first model, many connected watches have passed on my wrist, as well as activity bracelets. And I think it’s a very practical accessory, perfect for look at your cell phone less and ask vital questions with a flick of the wrist. I would miss him in a ring.
The rings do not have a screen. And for me it’s a disadvantage
Samsung Galaxy Ring
This seems obvious, but on a smartwatch, what I look at most is the time. I can put on a dial loaded with complications, in the Pip-Boy design, or always leave it off so that it measures activity, but sooner or later I will turn my wrist to know what time it is. And I can’t do that with a ring, I’m convinced I would miss it if I replaced it with another one.
Before I got my hands on a fitness ring, an accessory I tested at last year’s IFA, I hadn’t considered that it could replace the use I give to a smartwatch. Outside of time, most of the time I measure activity and sports, so a ring would have options to supplant the watch. It is more comfortable to wear, Samsung ensures that its Galaxy Ring has more than a week of battery life and could serve as a sentimental keepsake: I imagine making an engraving on the accessory to be able to combine my partner and sport. It’s even poetic.
All joking aside, and while I think it definitely has its benefits, I can’t see myself with an activity ring on my fingers. Having to turn on my phone to interact with the device feels like a delay, and also that it doesn’t let me read important notifications. It would be like going back in time with my first Fitbit, a clip attached to clothing and that it offered no information about the device because it was missing a screen. Yes, in its time (2012) it was a revolution, today I don’t even think about it.
A smart watch saves me from checking my phone: if I replaced it with a ring, I would lose the benefits of a screen
I tested the Amazfit Helio Ring and saw the Samsung Galaxy Rings up close, they seem very beautiful, elegant and very compact. What surprises me the most is that they managed to miniaturize the components to this level without losing health and activity measurements, is one of the great values of these devices. And you have to keep in mind that they are opening up the market, there are still many years before they become commonplace. It surely happens.
Rings can be a complement to the smartwatch
Hélio Amafit ring
On this side, I see putting an activity ring. For example, the Amazfit Helio Ring is complemented by the brand’s smart watches in order to make the different health measurements more precise: this way the application can analyze the movement on both sides of the body, perfect for calculating the repetitions of weights or balance in stride. I don’t know if the Samsung Galaxy Ring will be a good companion for the Samsung Galaxy Watch, although I suspect it will: Samsung Health will surely take care of that.
How can I see activity rings? As a device aimed at those who want to wear a fashion accessory without the discomfort that often comes with lugging around a smartwatch, especially when the case exceeds 44mm. They do not aim to reduce the number of times we turn on the screen, nor do they aspire to replace the smartphone: These are just a “stupid” add-on. which lacks functionality when not connected to the smartphone.
Whether the rings are good or not will depend on the use that each person is going to make of them: without analyzing a ring in depth, I believe that I would be missing too many things for it to be worth investing in one. . Time will tell.
Cover image | Ivan Linares
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