The Samsung Galaxy Ring Should Copy (or Improve) These Features From Oura
Caitlin Cimino/Android Authority
As for my loyalty and my fingers, the aura, as he said, put a ring on it. Oura Ring 3 is multitasking while taking up very little space and smarts. Although unmatched, it is also a solid leader in the field of smart rings. But that could soon change as Samsung prepares to launch its own smartwatches, and given the company's lineup of smartwatches, the Samsung name should sound like a red flag. Hopefully Samsung will look into the Oura ring to find features and flaws to emulate in the next Samsung Galaxy ring.
Caitlin Cimino/Android Authority
My favorite part of the Ura ring is the lack of distractions. I don't need a bright screen or touch alerts because the thought of my index finger buzzing indiscriminately confuses me. Instead, I admire what's behind the Aura Ring, which effectively turns my tracker into a piece of jewelry. I used to rely on the Aura app when I needed information and ignore it when I didn't.
I hope Samsung makes their device as simple as possible and adds a handy companion app. Since I'm not the biggest fan of the Samsung Health app, I'm crossing my fingers to see a refresh when the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 launches, for example, and I'm thrilled to see Samsung teaming up with Nature Cycles on their recent Galaxy smartwatch. Aura uses the same partnership to provide very useful cycle tracking analytics, which I think is a major benefit for wearable devices. I hope Samsung will continue to prioritize this aspect of health monitoring in its smart ring. If so, one should turn to Aura for guidance on how to present the information effectively.
Samsung is expected to make the Oura Ring user-friendly, unobtrusive and integrated with the companion app.
Samsung should also carefully consider how Aura handles push notifications. I like to remind myself to recharge my batteries or congratulate myself on a goal before I go to bed. However, I don't feel inundated with smartphone notifications or creepy suggestions. Aura impresses with its frequency and effectiveness.
Caitlin Cimino/Android Authority
Despite its hands-off principle, Aura still helps users sleep better. That makes sense considering it started out as a sleep tracker. The company offers a unique sleep tracking platform, recording everything from sleep stages and heart rate to activity and breathing patterns. Aura then consolidates all your data into one level so you can get your feedback quickly and easily. Personally, I like to see this number first to explain how tired I am in my contacts mirror. You can also view your trends and historical data in the Oura app and even track related activities and experiences. This helps users analyze how their lifestyle choices affect their vacation.
Aura offers great sleep tracking features, a feature that's nice to see on the Samsung Galaxy Ring.
All of these nightly features will be fun to watch on Samsung Galaxy Ring. Samsung has definitely taken the lead in overnight performance, adding many features over the past couple of years. However, it still lacks the level of precision or usability that Aura offers. Hopefully the One UI 5 sleep tracking updates promised to the Galaxy Watch will boost Samsung's offerings, and I suspect it will trickle down to the company's Ring-based wearables as well.
Caitlin Cimino/Android Authority
As well as improving its own device, Samsung could learn from some of the weaknesses we noted in our Oura Ring 3 review: For starters, I'd like to see a thinner, less noisy design. I wish they were smaller, even though they were as amazing as tiny smart rings. None of my own wearers get as many reviews as the Aura Ring. Most revolve around the misconception that I wear my husband's wedding ring. A smaller ring is better for the gym. The Ura ring digs into my fingers when I try to wear it while lifting weights. It hurts more when you try to get up (and often fail). I had to take it off to play tennis and I think the ball of choice would be the same.
Although the Ura ring is small, it is still too big as a ring and not very comfortable for certain exercises.
In fact, I wish Samsung improved the functionality of the Ura Ring in general. Samsung is expected to improve automatic workout tracking and expand the set of metrics athletes track with the Aura Ring. This helps separate the device from the Aura comfort zone and makes it a safer alternative to a fitness band. Post-workout stats and additional learning tools help the Samsung Galaxy Ring appeal to the same demographic as Samsung smartwatches. However, I would be very disappointed if the ring follows the timeline's closed-loop approach and only contains key health indicators for Samsung phone users. Given the rumors of possible compatibility with SmartThings, I hope that the Samsung Smart Ring will not be an exclusive ecosystem. I don't expect Samsung to play well with the iPhone, but the smart ring should be a good buy for all Android users, not just Samsung fans.
Personally, I'm very excited about the prospects of the Samsung Galaxy Ring. Plus, I'm thrilled that this niche in the wearables market continues to grow. Because I only have 10 fingers and two wrists.
