Smart rings are becoming a new trend in wearable technology

Smaller, more discreet and increasingly accurate, smart rings are quickly gaining traction among users who want continuous health monitoring without a screen on their wrist. New data suggests that this once niche technology is moving closer to the mass market.

Smart rings were considered an exotic addition to the wearables world just a few years ago. Today, the category is rapidly moving towards wider use. According to data from the analyst firm IDC, cited by Bloomberg, sales of smart rings are expected to increase by as much as 49 percent by 2025. For comparison: the smartwatch market is expected to grow by only six percent in the same period.

Such dynamics indicate that smart rings stand out as one of the fastest growing categories of wearable technology, especially in the field of health and wellness.

Why are smart rings gaining attention?

Smart rings offer many of the features that users are familiar with from smartwatches – sleep monitoring, physical activity, heart rate and heart rate variability – but in a much less noticeable form. The discreet design is one of the main reasons for their popularity, and rings often offer longer battery life.

Another important advantage is the accuracy of the measurements. Since the skin on the fingers is thinner than on the wrist, the sensors can more easily detect biological signals, which can mean more reliable data. Some users therefore opt for a combination of both devices: a smartwatch for workouts and notifications, and a ring for continuous, all-day health and well-being monitoring.

A small market with big ambitions

Despite rapid growth, smart rings still represent a relatively small portion of the market. According to IDC, about 4.3 million smart rings were shipped worldwide last year, while smartwatch shipments reached 163 million units. That's why analysts see huge untapped potential in the category.

Among the more prominent products on the market is the Samsung Galaxy Ring, which was launched in 2024. The device uses artificial intelligence to generate detailed health reports and offers users insights into sleep, physical activity, and overall well-being, along with recommendations for improving daily habits.

Oura, one of the pioneers of smart rings, also plays an important role, opening its own store on Amazon in 2024, further strengthening the accessibility of its products.

New year, new players

2026 is set to bring even more innovations. Both startups and tech giants are expected to unveil new smart ring models this year, some at this year's CES in Las Vegas. Among them is the Aivela Ring Pro, which promises new ways to control it with air gestures and touch.

At the same time, the market is expanding beyond the health segment. Pebble, known for its smartwatches, has introduced the Index 01 ring with a built-in microphone that allows users to create reminders on the go without focusing on monitoring bodily functions.

Wearables as the new frontier of artificial intelligence

The smart rings are part of a broader trend in which tech companies are increasingly putting artificial intelligence into wearables. Google is expected to unveil smart glasses with built-in AI this year that will run on the Android XR platform and use the Gemini model for real-time responses, translation and augmented information displays.

It's a shift towards technology that is ever-present but unobtrusive, and that complements smartphones rather than directly replacing them.

Although smart rings are still far from the size of smartwatches, data shows that they are well on their way from niche technology to mainstream. The combination of a discreet design, increasingly accurate sensors, and artificial intelligence that gives data useful value could establish smart rings as a permanent part of the wearable ecosystem in the coming years.