Samsung officially launched the Galaxy Ring today. The company's first smartwatch is looking very promising, as we highlighted in our Galaxy Ring hands-on, and there's no doubt that a lot of people are now looking forward to its release on July 24.
It's important to be mindful of compatibility before buying the Galaxy Ring, though. As it turns out, Samsung has not made it possible to use the Galaxy Ring with non-Samsung phones. So even if you have another Android phone from some other company, the Galaxy Ring won't work with it.
Story continues after the video
You can't use the Galaxy Ring with a non-Samsung phone
The Galaxy Ring is only compatible with Samsung Galaxy smartphones that are running Android 11.0 or above. You'll also need to be running Samsung Health version 6.27 or above to enjoy all of the features that this new product has to offer. It's also necessary to log into your Samsung account for this.
While it's difficult to say if and when Samsung will allow the Galaxy Ring to work with other Android devices, but if you're so inclined to use a smart ring but keep a non-Samsung phone, you can buy an Oura Ring instead, which will work Android phones. You know what we'll recommend though, just buy one of the best Samsung phones and use a Galaxy Ring instead!
It's hardly surprising that Samsung has kept the Galaxy Ring within its own ecosystem. We're seeing a greater push from Samsung now to retain people into the Galaxy ecosystem, and the Galaxy Ring will ensure that people who own Samsung phones or those who just really like the ring end up with a Samsung phone as well.
One can hardly fault the company for taking this approach, but this could provide some impetus to other smart ring manufacturers who may not have similar limitations, but Samsung is hoping that the effectiveness of its Samsung Health platform coupled with the power of Galaxy AI will enable the Galaxy Ring to stand out on its merits.
You can start a pre-order for the Galaxy Ring right away and the device will be in your hands by July 24. Prices for the Galaxy Ring start at $399.
