Even if an Apple Ring is coming, here are 4 reasons I won’t get one

A little while ago, I wrote about indicators that an Apple smart ring was in the works, or at least being considered. New rumors from Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman suggest that those efforts have stopped — there isn’t a product in active development, despite the popularity of the Oura Ring and Samsung Galaxy Ring. It could happen eventually, but any Apple offering is now years away at best.

Regardless, I probably won’t be getting an Apple Ring — if it ever drops. I’ll say upfront that my reasons shouldn’t automatically deter you — an Apple Ring might make sense in your situation, just not mine.

1 Smart rings aren’t practical for weightlifting

Without a massive increase in price, anyway

Oura

Although I’m also into gaming and electric unicycles, I consider weightlifting my primary hobby. I’m usually in the gym over two hours per session, three nights per week, and most of my eating and sleeping habits are geared towards maximizing performance.

I’d really love to try a smart ring, but the unfortunate truth is that most, if not all, smart rings aren’t suited to weightlifting at my level. Yes, products like the Oura Ring and Galaxy Ring are built with titanium, but resistance to the occasional bump or scratch is one thing — it’s another to intentionally grip a ring with sensitive electronics against a knurled barbell when you’re deadlifting. An Apple Ring might well survive that with minimal scratching, but I’m not about to take the risk when smartwatches and arm bands are available.

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  Oura Ring 4

  The Oura Ring 4 is the latest generation of smart ring from Oura. It features an updated sensor design with new algorithms that adapt to your particular finger throughout the day, providing more accurate data. It also offers more inclusive sizing, fitting a wider range of fingers. 

• 

  Galaxy Ring

  The Galaxy Ring is Samsung’s first smart ring, capable of heart, movement, and sleep tracking, but in a smaller body that’s easy to wear all day and night.

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2 The “Apple tax” could be huge

Premium materials, but still at unreasonable prices

Apple tends to use “premium” materials in most of its products, as much for esthetics as durability — the only plastic iPhone ever released was 2013’s iPhone 5c, after which the iPhone SE took over as the budget model. The problem is that the company is also obsessed with strong profit margins, which translates immediately into higher prices. It’s one reason (though not the major one) the Vision Pro costs $3,500 instead of $500 like a Meta Quest 3.

It’s hard to imagine Apple cutting corners or sacrificing margins with an Apple Ring, especially if it wants to stand out in a crowded marketplace. The result could be a product that costs well over the $300 entry price for an Oura. I’d wager something closer to $500, at which point you might as well just buy an Apple Watch.

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3 Smartwatches offer better metrics and overall flexibility

Sometimes, distractions aren’t evil

The big draw of a smart ring is unobtrusive health and fitness tracking. It simply sits on your finger collecting health info, and syncs it with your phone to help monitor and improve habits. You won’t be bombarded with audio, visual, or haptic notifications.

I’m impressed by the range of metrics rings can track — everything from heart rate and blood oxygen to sleep patterns — but their accuracy is infamous for being questionable at times, and you’ll never get as much data from them as you would from a higher-end smartwatch. One of the obvious examples is mapping — whereas a Garmin Fenix 8 can provide offline navigation and even auto-generate training routes for you, the best a ring can do is link app data with a location generated by your phone.

And clearly, there’s just so much more you can do with a wearable that has apps and a screen. For me, the distractions are worth it — I enjoy being able to check the time, weather, and important alerts all in a single glance, not to mention control things like music and timers, without reaching into my pocket.

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4 Taking a step back from the Apple ecosystem

One small step towards tech freedom

Apple

I’ll admit, I’m pretty immersed in the Apple ecosystem at this point. My phone is an iPhone 16 Pro, my watch is an Apple Watch Ultra 2, and I’ve got a few other devices, including a 2020 iPad Pro, in my tech lineup. I’ve owned Android phones in the past, however, and my computers have always been Windows PCs. I don’t think Apple products are inherently superior — often, it just makes sense to buy something that integrates well with what you already have.

But personally, it feels like buying an Apple Ring would be a step too far. It would be yet another product tying me to Apple, forcing me to spend even more if I decide to switch, with no overwhelming advantage in return. I’m unlikely to jump ship for a few years — having just bought a new iPhone and Apple Watch — but the less I spend on Apple gear from now on, the more likely it is I’ll have a real choice when the time rolls around.

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