On June 10, 2024, Apple CEO Cook made a gesture at the annual developers conference held at the company’s headquarters in Cupertino, California, USA.
Carlos Barria | Reuters
apple According to CCS Insight, the company may launch a connected ring in 2026 to compete with Samsung, which will further enhance the US technology giant’s focus on health.
The call is part of CCS Insight’s annual forecast report, and if it comes true, it will be the Cupertino giant’s first new product since the launch of the Apple Vision Pro headphones this year.
“Health has become a fundamental pillar of Apple. In fact, I would go so far as to say that when Tim Cook decided to give up control and retire… I think one of his main legacies is that Apple will be centered around personal health. ,” CCS Insight principal analyst Ben Wood told CNBC’s Beyond the Valley podcast released on Tuesday.
“Given Tim Cook’s depth and personal investment in health and wellness, I think the ring is a very complementary extension to Apple,” he said, referring to Apple CEO Cook.
Wood highlighted Apple’s focus on health, from products like the Apple Watch with all its sensors to its latest AirPods Pro 2 headphones that can turn into hearing aids.
Similar to smart watches, smart rings are embedded with various sensors to track health indicators such as heart rate.
Oura was one of the pioneers in the field, but Samsung brought this style of product to a wider audience this year with the launch of the Galaxy Ring as it looks to move further into the health space.
The $399 Samsung Galaxy Ring adds to the South Korean tech giant’s product portfolio from smartphones to smartwatches and is designed to keep users locked into the world of their devices.
Apple has employed a similar strategy across its product suite in an attempt to retain already sticky customers within its hardware ecosystem. Wood said the ring will add another product to the portfolio.
Unlike other consumer electronics, rings are complicated from a retail perspective because people have different finger sizes. Samsung has rings in a variety of sizes and colors, and users will receive a sample size kit before purchasing the ring.
Wood said the difference between Apple and Samsung is that Apple has a large and stylish physical retail footprint, which will help any attempt to sell the ring to customers.
“I also think their retail business is a good fit for it because rings are complex products to bring to market,” Wood told CNBC.
Rings are also fashionable items. Wood said Apple’s products remain attractive in the market.
“Apple is a brand that has a certain reputation because it’s a product that people are proud to own. I think Apple’s beautifully designed rings may be one of those, almost a status symbol,” Wood said.
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