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A prominent leaker has proposed it is time for the Apple Ring to be the company’s next wearable. It’s an idea that Apple has been working on for years, but is still far from becoming a reality.
The rumor mill often goes through a cycle where it surfaces hints and claims about unreleased Apple hardware. This often happens for products that sound like a logical leap for Apple’s next release, but haven’t been the subject of a rumor for quite some time.
On Sunday, it was the Apple Ring’s turn, thanks to Mark Gurman’s “Power On” newsletter for Bloomberg. In the email to subscribers, Gurman proposes that the Apple Watch doesn’t offer any real updates anymore, and that shifting to another wearable platform, like a smart ring, would serve Apple well.
To Gurman, a smart ring would provide quite a few benefits versus a smart watch, such as it potentially being more comfortable to wear, especially during sleep or when working out.
Their small size and lack of a display also translates into long battery life, reducing the need to recharge them every day. It would also reduce the number of visible notifications a user would see, unlike an Apple Watch screen.
There’s also fashion to consider, Gurman adds, in that a ring could feasibly work with any wardrobe, and even work with a dressy outfit. A smart ring would also provide the fitness tracking capability of a smart watch, but without forcing mechanical watch users to part with their wristwear.
As fundamentally different devices, Apple could feasibly sell both the Apple Watch and Apple Ring to consumers, with the ring being more of a prospect for those who simply don’t want an Apple Watch.
Gurman’s post doesn’t offer any new claims that a smart ring is definitely coming soon, but it does continue a long tradition of discussion about a wearable that just hasn’t hit the production line.
Almost 20 years ago
One of the earliest examples goes back to 2007, when Yanko Design published a concept image designed by Victor Soto. Referred to as the iRing, the idea consisted of a white or black ring with a blue glowing Apple logo.
A 2007 iRing concept [Yanko Design/Victor Soto]
The concept was that the iRing would work with an iPhone or iPod, providing control of playback and volume control via a touch-sensitive function strip. The ring would be used with a loop-shaped cradle for recharging, and would theoretically have a battery life of up to two days.
Tons of Apple Ring patents
An oddity of the Apple Ring is that, among rumored Apple devices, it arguably has the most evidence about its existence. While it may not have actually produced the hardware, engineers at Apple have put some thought into the possibility.
The evidence of this stems from patents and patent applications, which has seen Apple come up with many different concepts for the device.
An example of an Apple Ring patent image
This ranged from including a compact display on the ring itself to gesture control, and rolling haptics. The patents have also offered the possibility it could be used with the Apple Vision Pro, complete with detecting finger bends.
There’s even been the proposal that an “expandable ring device” could be worn in many different ways, including as part of a necklace or a bracelet.
Samsung sparked Apple Ring speculation
After a lull, the rumors resurfaced last in 2024, thanks to the Samsung Unpacked event early in the year. During the show, Samsung teased its Galaxy Ring, which inevitably prompted the rumor mill to start discussing Apple’s supposed wearable.
“Apple has consistently released smart ring-related patents for several years, so advanced development for commercialization appears to be imminent,” alleged insiders told an ETNews report.
Apple was reportedly considering a launch date for the device, though the report stopped short of saying when and how it would launch.
Is the Apple Ring dead or alive?
The seemingly long development cycle for the Apple Ring has led to speculation about whether or not Apple is going to go ahead with making it.
In October 2024, the very same Mark Gurman said that Apple wasn’t “actively developing” a ring, and had no plans to launch one because it would detract from the Apple Watch. This is the opposite of what he said in the latest newsletter.
The same month, CCS Insight chief analyst Ben Wood insisted that an Apple Ring will be coming out in 2026, as a companion to the Apple Watch.
By November, Tom Hale, the CEO of smart ring producer Oura doubted Apple will proceed, due to it undercutting the Apple Watch. Also, he believed that Apple couldn’t just start making a smart ring, completely ignoring the resources, engineering, and miniaturization expertise of the iPhone maker.
Of course, the CEO of a smart ring maker would hope that Apple steers clear of smart rings.
A well-rounded Apple Ring rumor
The Apple Ring has been talked about for two decades, and has yet to see the light of day. But, as evidenced by today’s Bloomberg newsletter, there’s still hope for its release.
There have been seemingly too many rumors for it to not exist in some form. The existence of many patent filings shows Apple has thought about it, and with Samsung wading in to the market, it may actually be tempted to follow.
However, with no real indication of when it will be released, it’s something that will stick around as a rumor that occasionally surfaces.
