Samsung has made it clear that the Galaxy Ring will not have a monthly subscription fee, unlike its competitor, the Oura Ring. During the pre-launch product reveal, the company emphasized that this decision was permanent and there are no plans to implement monthly charges in the future. However, a slide at Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked presentation hinted at the possibility of subscription options in the future, leaving the door slightly open.
In order to use the Galaxy Ring, it must be paired with a Samsung Galaxy smartphone with Android 11.0 or above and a minimum of 1.5GB memory. The Samsung Health app (v6.27 or above) and Samsung account login are also required. While current Samsung Health features that utilize the Galaxy Ring are provided without a monthly subscription, there may be different terms for future features.
Despite Samsung’s commitment to not charging a subscription for the Ring, there are hints that the company may consider charging for Galaxy AI features in the future. This could potentially be a way for Samsung to introduce a subscription model without directly imposing a fee on Galaxy Ring users. By offering access to advanced AI tools across all devices, including the Ring, Samsung could justify the cost as a purchase of the AI toolkit rather than a monthly plan specifically for the Ring.
It is important to note that Samsung has a history of competitive pricing strategies, such as offering enhanced trade-in prices for iPhones and running promotions like the “Test Drive” program in the past. As the free period for Galaxy AI is set to expire in 2025, it will be interesting to see how Samsung navigates the potential introduction of subscription fees for its advanced AI features.
Overall, while Samsung has stated that the decision to not charge a monthly fee for the Galaxy Ring is permanent, there are indications that subscription options may be considered for future features. The company’s approach to pricing and subscription models will likely play a significant role in shaping the future of the Galaxy Ring and its AI capabilities.