Caitlin Cimino / Android Authority
As for my loyalty and my stocking toes, Ura, as I said, put a ring on it. The Oura Ring 3 does a great job of multitasking while taking up very little space and brain power. With almost no competition, it is also a strong leader in the field of smart rings. However, that may soon change as Samsung is set to launch its own smartwatches, and given the company's successful smartwatch lineup, Samsung's name should sound like a wake-up call (pun intended). I hope Samsung looks at the Oura Ring to emulate the capabilities and avoid the mistakes found in the Samsung Galaxy Ring.
Caitlin Cimino / Android Authority
Our favorite part of Ring is the lack of distractions. I don't need a shiny screen or tactile alerts, because the erratic buzzing on my index finger really distracts me. Instead, I appreciate what goes on behind the scenes in The Ring, which effectively turns my follower into a piece of jewelry. I can rely on the Oura app when I need information and ignore it when I don't.
I hope Samsung keeps their device as simple as possible and pairs it with a useful app. Since I'm not the biggest fan of the Samsung Health app, I'm already crossing my fingers that we'll see a revision with the release of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6. For example, I was excited to see that Samsung teamed up with Natural Cycles on their latest Galaxy smartwatch. Oura uses the same partnership to provide very useful cycle tracking analytics, which I consider a key benefit of wearables. I hope Samsung continues to prioritize this aspect of health tracking in its smart ring. If so, he should seek guidance from Oura on how to present the data effectively.
Samsung should emulate the Oura Ring user, which is not distracting and integrates well with the companion app.
Samsung should look into how Oura handles push notifications. I love being reminded to recharge before bed or congratulated on a goal. However, I never feel overwhelmed by phone notifications or dread. The frequency and effectiveness of Oura nails.
Caitlin Cimino / Android Authority
Despite the hands-off principle, Oura still helps users sleep better. Which makes sense considering it started out as a sleep tracker. The company offers a unique sleep tracking platform that records everything from sleep stages to heart rate, movement and breathing patterns. Oura then consolidates all your data into one unit so you can quickly access your feedback. Personally, I like to look at this number first, so I will tire myself in front of the mirror to justify the presence of my contacts there. You can also see your trends and historical data in the Oura app and track related activities and habits. It helps users discover how lifestyle choices can affect their vacation.
The Oura also offers some of the best sleep tracking features around, a feature that would be great to see on the Samsung Galaxy Ring.
All these night features would be interesting to see in the Samsung Galaxy Ring. Samsung has definitely made progress in terms of performance overnight, adding a lot of features over the past few years. However, it still lacks the level of accuracy or usability that Oura offers. I expect the Galaxy Watch One UI 5 sleep tracking updates to elevate Samsung's offerings, and I think that will carry over to the company's ring-based wearables as well.
Caitlin Cimino / Android Authority
In addition to improving its tools, Samsung could also learn from some of the flaws we pointed out in our Oura Ring 3 review. First, I'd like to see a slimmer design that isn't as loud. As impressive as the little smart rings are, I wish they were even smaller. No other wearable I own gets as many comments as the Oura ring. A lot of it revolves around the misconception that I wear my husband's engagement ring. A smaller ring is also better for the gym. Our ring digs into my finger bones when I try to wear it, when I try to lift weights. It hurts more when he tries to get up (often fails). I had to take it off to play tennis and I think the pickle ball will be the same.
Although the Oura ring is small, it is quite large as a ring and very uncomfortable for some types of exercise.
In fact, I wish Samsung would improve the fitness functionality of the Oura Ring in general. Samsung needs to improve automatic workout detection and expand the set of metrics that track athletes on the Oura Ring. This will help push the device out of Oura's comfort zone and make it a more reliable alternative to a fitness band. Post-workout stats and workout tools help the Samsung Galaxy Ring appeal to the same demographic as Samsung smartwatches. However, I'd be very disappointed if the ring joins the watch face on the wall to keep health essentials only for Samsung phone users. Given the rumors of possible compatibility with SmartThings, I really hope the Samsung Smart Ring isn't an ecosystem exclusive. I don't expect Samsung to do well with iPhones, but the smart ring should be a good buy for all Android users, not just Samsung fans.
Personally, I'm very excited about the prospect of the Samsung Galaxy Ring. I'm also happy that this niche in the wearables market continues to grow. Because I only have 10 fingers and two wrists.
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