Over the past 10 years, Apple's smart ring has been a topic mentioned by many sources, but no prototype has appeared.
Samsung has been displaying the Galaxy Ring since the beginning of the year and is expected to officially announce this product on July 10. Meanwhile, there are no signs that Apple will enter this market in the near future.
According to Apple Insider, the keyword Apple Ring first appeared in 2007, when Yanko Design posted the design of a white ring with a glowing blue Apple logo, called iRing. As envisioned, the ring works with an iPhone or iPod, and the battery lasts two days. With the level of technology at that time, this idea was considered far-fetched.
By 2013, research by Topeka Capital Markets mentioned a TV model designed by Apple and the ring as an important accessory, acting as a navigation pointer for the TV. The motion detection sensor on the ring can replace some remote-control functions. However, no TV was announced by Apple later, but the smart ring is still a device that many people look forward to.
In 2019, Cultofmac cited information from an Apple patent describing a device "integrating a computer processor, a wireless transceiver, and a rechargeable power source." The iPhone manufacturer is expected to be looking for solutions to replace the touch screen, keyboard and mouse. The design details of this smart ring are similar to the Apple Watch prototype, with a small screen displaying information when connected to iPhone, iPad and Mac computers.
In 2022, another piece of information appeared that Apple is developing a couple ring. The wearer will know where the other person is at all times, even knowing if their partner takes off the ring. Later, AirTag with similar features appeared but iRing was still just a rumor.
In 2023, some evidence shows that Apple owns many patents related to smart rings. The latest filing was approved by the US Patent and Trademark Office on November 28, 2023, for "electronic system and ring-shaped device", meaning that Apple's future products are not limited to the ring shape, but it could be a bracelet, a necklace, an anklet...
As Samsung prepares to sell smart rings, iRing rumors continue to become a topic of interest. According to ETNews, after the Galaxy Ring appeared, Apple seriously considered the plan to announce Apple Ring, and applied for a patent for an NFC-enabled finger wear device. An anonymous industry source said the commercialization of Apple Ring will take place soon.
According to Electronic Times, Apple is monitoring the market to evaluate whether smart rings will become an alternative to smartwatches because they can be worn longer, especially for sleep monitoring.
Statistics from Business Research Insight show that the global smart ring market could increase from 20 million USD in 2023 to nearly 200 million USD in 2031. Apple has many ways to approach this market segment, for example it can use rings to control other devices such as smartphones, but the company's priority is health monitoring.