If Apple ever enters the world of smart rings, it will be because the ring does not compete with the watch, but complements it. The market is growing, users are ready, patents are whispering, Gurman is cooling expectations, but the logic of the ecosystem is clear. Users are demanding the Apple Ring! Apple Ring already in 2026?
Apple Ring already 2026?! When I wrote in City Magazine in the spring that Apple “The smart ring train is late.", I had this in mind: Apple Ring is the ultimate compromise between digital minimalism and medical-analytical obsessionIt doesn't vibrate on your wrist during dinner, it doesn't scream with its screen — and it listens to your body more consistently than most watches you put on your nightstand at night.
What we (officially) know and what we don't: Apple Ring as early as 2026
First a cold shower: Mark Gurman wrote in the fall of 2024 that Apple doesn't have active smart ring project. Not because I don't know how, but because the ring could "crush" sales of the Apple Watch — the cash cow of the wearable portfolio.
On the other hand, analysts at CCS Insight have been claiming for months that Apple could 2026 could still present his ring — a logical step in the company's health strategy.
Truth? There is room for healthy skepticism between the two poles: rumors (leakers) eyes1122) suggest that Apple is "testing the waters," but without solid evidence.
Why the ring makes sense (even for Apple)
In several columns, I have emphasized two simple ideas. First, the ring enables digital detox: less screen, less notifications, more silent data collection. Second, the ring does not replace smartwatches — yes completes. Gen Z and millennials are once again wearing Omegas, Seikos, and vintage Casios; the ring is their hidden “health module,” while the wrist is for story and style. This is Apple’s opportunity: to add an invisible layer of digital intelligence to classic prestige.
Market Reality: A Niche with Momentum
Smart rings are no longer a Kickstarter curiosity. According to IDC, in 2018 there were 2023 sold approximately 880.000 rings (Oura ~80 %, Ultrahuman ~12 %); forecast for 2028 is around 3.2 million units, average annual growth ~29,5 %. Yes, this is still a small vs. ~161 million smartwatches in 2023 — but the growth dynamics are a completely different story.
The competition has also sharpened its offering: Samsung Galaxy Ring is placed in Europe ~449 €, with autonomy up to 7 days (depending on size) and deep integration into Samsung Health — there's no iPhone compatibility, which is understandable.
Our Ring 4 is a mature product with a paid subscription €5.99/month in the EU (after the first month is free), which clearly signals to customers that software experience equivalent to a machine.
“Cash cow” and the false myth of cannibalism
Yes, I explicitly wrote in my articles: Apple is afraid that the ring will eat a piece of the Apple Watch pie. But this is exactly where the mistake lies. The ring is hunting users who they don't want to watches — at night, at the gym, or because they wear a mechanical icon on their wrist. This is extension addressable market, not cannibalization. In fact, the ring and the watch can share the work: the ring measures in the background (sleep, HRV, temperature), and the watch remains interface for alerts and interactions.
Patents whisper where Apple would go
If Apple is good at anything, it's interfaceHis patents describe the ring as input device for Vision Pro and other screens (gestures, touches), but also as a health sensor — including seemingly trivial, but in practice magical things: Apple Pay on the finger, unlocking devices, “microgestures” for silent commands.
“Do rings even measure well?” – will the Apple Ring be better here?
Science is catching up with the commercial pace, but the trend is encouraging: studies confirm decent accuracy of night vision heartbeat and CROATIA compared to a medical ECG, while sleep classification good enough for trends (with known limitations for phases). That's just enough for the ring to become a "constant barometer" of well-being — without a screen.
What the Apple Ring should look like in 2026 (if Apple actually makes it)
To sum up what I've been advocating for months: Apple Ring must be invisible infrastructure health and identity. Titanium or steel, multiple sizes, week-long battery, NFC for payments, security key for Mac and home, and gestures as a silent language for Vision Pro. In this world, less screen doesn't mean less computer — it means more ambient computing trapped in a small metal loop.
Conclusion: Apple, put that ring on us already
Gurman is probably right when he says that the ring is not a “project” today. But forecasts, market dynamics, and — frankly — user habits, suggest that sooner or later Apple will have to admit the obvious: a ring is the logical next step. Apple is often the last to the party. But when it comes, it usually makes the thing “the best ever.” And that’s exactly the point of my column: the ring doesn’t take away Apple’s watch — it gives it its the missing silence in a loud ecosystem.
