Apple Smart Ring Project Reportedly 'Cancelled'

In short: There will be no "Apple Smart Ring" for now!

Image made with AI by Umer Idrisi

It looks like Apple’s flirtation with smart rings has come to an end—for now. According to reports, the tech giant has decided to shelve its plans for a smart ring, opting instead to keep the spotlight on its Apple Watch.

And really, who can blame them?

The Apple Watch, which is already an industry leader in fitness tracking and health monitoring, continues to be Apple’s golden child in the wearable category. A new device might have confused consumers and potentially cannibalized the Apple Watch’s sales.

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard rumors of an Apple smart ring.

Over the past few years, patents revealed designs for a ring equipped with sensors to track fitness data and assist with hand detection for the Apple Vision Pro headset.

It was even speculated to be a cheaper, screen-free alternative to the Apple Watch, giving users a more minimalist approach to wearables.

But Apple seems to have nixed the idea, fearing it could compete too closely with its beloved Watch.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman recently confirmed that Apple is no longer "actively developing" a smart ring, which feels like a subtle nod to the tech world's equivalent of shelving that cookbook you swore you’d try someday.

Instead, Apple is doubling down on its watch lineup, which recently saw the release of the Apple Watch Series 10, and rightfully so.

The company sees plenty of room for growth in the smartwatch space, especially as health-conscious consumers continue to drive demand.

The timing makes sense, given that Apple is deep into exploring other technologies like its Vision Pro headset and possibly a future foldable iPhone (at this point, who isn’t working on one?).

Interestingly, despite abandoning the smart ring, Apple had sent surveys earlier this year to its users, including those with Apple Watches, asking about their interest in such a product.

But it seems like the survey results led them back to their trusty Watch.

Meanwhile, Apple’s competition hasn’t slowed down. Samsung is moving forward with its Galaxy Ring, a potential competitor that could capture the attention of consumers looking for a smaller, less obtrusive device.

And let’s not forget that fitness wearables are a booming market—Statista forecasts that global revenue for this segment will reach a staggering $70 billion by 2027.

So, while Apple fans won’t be slipping a smart ring on their finger anytime soon, the tech giant appears confident that its watches have plenty of juice left.