Is Apple planning to launch a smart ring this year? We’re not so sure

It lacks the, uh, ring of truth

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Applehas just launched an entirely new product with itsVision Pro headset, but a new report claims the company could be about to do it again with an entirely different device – a smart ring. However, despite how intriguing that might sound, we have plenty of doubts.

According to a report from Korean outlet ETNews (machine translated version), Apple is on the brink of launching a new smart ring to compete with the likes of Oura andSamsung’s own upcoming device. That could see Apple gaining a relatively early entry into a market that is still developing, potentially giving it a chance to score another hit product.

ETNews quoted an “industry insider” who claimed that Apple’s smart ring is almost upon us: “Apple has consistently released smart ring-related patents for several years, so advanced development for commercialization appears to be imminent.”

It’s true that Apple has been firing off smart ring patents left, right and center. Those patents have covered ideas likeconnecting to other Apple devicesusing the ring andembedding a touchscreenfor quick controls. That seems to give the impression that something major is afoot.

Reasons for doubt

That might all appear to be pretty convincing. But does it mean that the ring is any closer to being ready than it was, say, a year ago? We’re not so sure.

For one thing, filing patents does not necessarily indicate that a product is about to launch. Apple has been applying for smart ring patents for years, and rumors that the device was in development have been circling since at least 2007. In fact, a patent is no guarantee that a product will ever get released at all – Apple could simply be exploring ideas and eventually decide not to go ahead with the project.

As well as that, Apple has been going hell-for-leather on the Vision Pro in recent years. In 2023, a reputable leaker claimed that the companypulled employees awayfrom multiple different areas of the business in order to focus on the headset (that’s one reason why last year’s software releases wereso pared back). It’s hard to imagine that a smart ring could be anywhere near ready when the behemoth that is the Vision Pro has been sucking up all of Apple’s resources.

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Still, that doesn’t mean we can totally rule out Apple gearing up its work on a smart ring, and you never know, we might see it sooner than expected. Just don’t bet the bank on it happening this year.

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Alex Blake has been fooling around with computers since the early 1990s, and since that time he’s learned a thing or two about tech. No more than two things, though. That’s all his brain can hold. As well as TechRadar, Alex writes for iMore, Digital Trends and Creative Bloq, among others. He was previously commissioning editor at MacFormat magazine. That means he mostly covers the world of Apple and its latest products, but also Windows, computer peripherals, mobile apps, and much more beyond. When not writing, you can find him hiking the English countryside and gaming on his PC.

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