Is Samsung’s AI-powered wearable tech the future of health monitoring?

When it comes to incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) into its newest wearable technology, Samsung seems to be leading the way.

The Galaxy Watch Ultra, the company’s first high-end smartwatch, and the Galaxy Ring, a new player in the smart ring market, were the two new items that the South Korean tech giant recently presented. AI features are included into both devices to improve health management and monitoring.

The AI-Powered Health Push

Samsung’s increased emphasis on AI is seen in the $650 Galaxy Watch Ultra and the $400 Galaxy Ring, which were released six months after the company first unveiled smartphones with AI capabilities. The Galaxy Watch Ultra is positioned as a premium watch, as evidenced by its large price difference over the $300 selling price of the basic Galaxy Watch 7.

AI’s Improvements to Health Monitoring

With Google and Apple, Samsung’s rivals, already incorporating AI into their PCs and smartphones, the technology is quickly becoming standard in indispensable gadgets. Samsung’s latest wearables use artificial intelligence (AI) to better evaluate biometric data and provide consumers personalised health assessments via a “energy score.” This score, which goes from one to 100, contains suggestions similar to those made by an online fitness advisor.

Privacy and Security Measures

Advanced security mechanisms are promised for both the Galaxy Ring and the Galaxy Watch Ultra. While the devices process most sensitive data directly, certain data is handled via remote computing centres that are protected by a “defense-grade, multi-layer security platform.” Although these precautions are meant to protect personal data, security breaches can still occur in any system.

Comparing the Watch and the Ring

Compared to the Galaxy Ring, the Galaxy Watch Ultra has additional features and can perform more sophisticated tasks including sleep apnea detection. In contrast to the watch’s more frequent requirement for recharging, the Galaxy Ring has the advantage of having a longer battery life—six to seven days on a single charge.

Market Competition and Prospects

With its debut into the high-end smartwatch industry, Samsung is now directly competing with Apple, the market leader. More than 60 million people use the Samsung Health app in conjunction with their smartwatches, demonstrating the enormous user base that Apple’s ten-year concentration on health features has attracted.

Sales of smartwatches are predicted to reach around $29 billion globally this year, indicating that the business is booming. According to Gartner Inc.’s forecast, sales of smartwatches are expected to increase to 195 million by 2028, from an estimated 164 million in 2024.

Challenges in the Smart Ring Market

Samsung has a distinct set of difficulties in the smart ring market. This is a specialised market that is still not widely adopted, dominated by startups like Oura and RingConn. According to Gartner, sales of smart rings will reach $2.4 billion this year and roughly $4.6 billion by 2028. Samsung’s Galaxy Ring, on the other hand, is only compatible with the Android operating system from Google, which may limit its market appeal to iPhone customers.

Beyond Wearables: Labour Strikes and Foldable Phones

Samsung keeps innovating with its foldable phone series in addition to wearables. With two displays and AI improvements, the next Galaxy Z Fold 6, which will retail for $1,900, is aimed to carve out a niche market despite its lacklustre performance since its 2019 launch.

In the meantime, Samsung is facing labour-related difficulties. In South Korea, unionised workers have started an indefinite walkout in protest of their lack of pay and benefits. The strike is putting a lot of pressure on Samsung’s management, despite the company’s claims that production is unaffected.