This week 12 more interesting Apple Vision Pro & Smart Glasses Patents were published covering a collapsible Head Cap, Camera Systems+
Samsung provided the press at the 'Mobile World Congress' 2024 Trade Show with a first-peek of their upcoming 'Galaxy Ring'

While Apple has many patents on record on a potential smart ring, Bloomberg now thinks Apple is paying attention to this new accessory

1 cover Smart Ring health sensor

On February 20, Korea's ETNews published a rumor report stating that Apple was also accelerating the development of a smart ring pointing to Apple's deep patent base for such a device. A few Apple ring patents include  01020304 05 (Health specific), 06 and more. Patents are written by Apple's engineering teams, not dreamed up in their marketing department.

This morning, Mark Gurman notes in his latest newsletter that "Smart Rings are a new wearable form factor that has built-in sensors, NFC controller, heart rate measurement, etc. and even enables contactless payments . It is also attracting attention as an always-healthcare device that is easier to wear for a long time than a smartwatch and can collect precise biometric information.

Both Samsung and Apple, which are growing the digital healthcare market as a growth engine, are paying attention to smart rings as devices to improve health and wellness through precise measurement of health indicators." Of course, Apple isn't just "paying attention," they're actively filing in-depth patents outlining various features.

Gurman believes that an Apple Ring accessory device could serve as a low-cost way to gather key health data without the need to wear a full-blown watch. Samsung is preparing to launch its first ring later this year." Samsung briefly noted this during their Galaxy S24 Unpacked event, flashing an image of a smart ring as presented below.

2 smart ring samsung

Gurman further noted that "Apple could tie the ring to its Health and Fitness apps and sell it is as an iPhone accessory. It won’t generate as much money as a smartwatch, but Apple can court a new type of customer (and even theoretically offer it as a subscription). Finally, an Apple ring owner would be less likely to ditch the iPhone for an Android device."

Gurman also touched on smartglasses. While Apple has a growing number of patents on true smart glasses, such a device is likely years away. With that said,  Gurman thinks that Apple could, in the short term, consider challenging camera glasses from Meta and Amazon. It's hard to imagine such a development in the short term, but you never know.

Check out Mark Gurman's Power On newsletter today that also covers a series of other areas such possible HomePod developments in the works, Apple's new Sports App and more.  

It should be noted that just because Samsung is limiting their smart ring for health, doesn't mean Apple has to limit a ring's potential uses. Apple's many patents describe uses far beyond the limited use of health to controlling the Apple TV user interface, to control smartglasses, to scroll documents on Macs and iDevices, to work Apple Vision Pro games and more. 

10.0F0B - Rumors

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