The Galaxy Ring, unveiled as Samsung’s surprise “One Last Thing” at their February keynote, stole the show at their recent Unpacked event in Paris. After posting the usual walk-around videos on our social media, we were ready for a barrage of questions about price, availability in India, and features – the usual suspects. But our inboxes on Instagram and YouTube revealed a different story.
The burning question? “What happens when my fingers get chubby and the Galaxy Ring no longer fits?” This seemingly silly query dominated our DMs. So, when I got a chance to grill a top Samsung exec at a closed-door roundtable in Paris, I knew exactly what to ask.
“I think this is the first time that’s ever been asked,” Dr Hon Pak, VP and Head of Digital Health Team, Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics, admitted with a surprising laugh.
It turns out the query wasn’t all that silly.
“Here’s the thing – sometimes my fingers swell for different reasons. And then I take it off until my swelling goes down. Now, if you are in puberty, I don’t know that I would give a child the ring as they’re growing because, obviously, then you’re going to have to get a new ring. There’s no expandability of that,” said Dr Pak.
There could be several other reasons why your fingers may change their size. Women gain weight when conceiving a child and their fingers swell up during the journey. Further, the Galaxy Ring is ultimately a fitness device, and many buyers may have weight loss as their top priority. There is a possibility that if they achieve their goal, their finger size may reduce, and the Ring may not fit all that well.
“I’m going to have to go back to our corporate policy regarding whether we can do a trade-in, or I don’t know, that [question] has never been asked,” said Dr Pak.
That’s fair enough, as Dr Pak is more concerned with the product side of things. He has a sound understanding of not just the technicalities of fitness gadgets but also the convergence of the healthcare industry and consumer tech. That’s because he is a retired US Army physician who served for 28 years.
“We think that healthcare is ripe for change. I think it’s not where it needs to be to serve the needs of the people. And so, our vision is connected care centred around the home,” said Dr Pak. “We think there’s a collision happening where health care is now shifting to the family members and caregivers to manage providing care to the loved ones,” he added.
Better Together
Samsung is going strong on its Better Together campaign for its new fitness wearables. The Galaxy Ring works best when used with a Galaxy Watch device. And ‘why’ is that is another commonly asked question.
Dr Pak believes using both products together helps fill in the data gaps caused due to various factors. Maybe you’re wearing your watch too loose, or you’re probably charging it. Having at least one device on your wrist or finger will ensure continuity.
“And then lastly, it looks at battery life, or improves battery life, and creates other synergies, particularly on choice,” said Dr Pak.
Finger Food for Thought
While finger growth might seem like a silly concern, Dr. Pak’s openness shows Samsung is thinking about long-term user experience. Will there be future iterations of the Galaxy Ring with adjustable sizing or perhaps trade-in options? Only time will tell.
In the meantime, Dr. Pak’s emphasis on “Better Together” highlights the value of using the Galaxy Ring alongside a Galaxy Watch. This multi-device approach can ensure data continuity and potentially improve battery life. Ultimately, Samsung seems committed to creating a seamless wearable ecosystem for a more holistic approach to health.
