Apple needs to make a smart ring to save me from this ridiculous situation
As a somewhat larger than ideal man, I’m working to lose a bit of weight and trim down the areas of my body with excess… insulation. And as a technology journalist, I’m naturally tapping into tech to help me fight the fat.
This means popping an Apple Watch Series 11 on my wrist, courtesy of TechRadar's tame Senior Editor of Fitness Matt Evans. Given I’m an iPhone user, it made sense to go for an Apple Watch, and it remains one of the best smartwatches, packed with features and a lot of solid fitness tracking tech.
But here’s the rub: I’m a traditional watch wearer, and a collector of mechanical watches. At the same time – perhaps because of this – I’m not a huge fan of smartwatches.
I like the fitness tracking and having a device that can do a lot attached to my wrist; it still feels quite futuristic. However, I’ve spent more money than is sensible on mechanical analogue watches, so don’t want to eschew them for an Apple Watch.
And I’m weirdly particular about my watch wearing routines: my first watch on every day is my Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra, and when I go for a walk I very much opt for a field watch (so called as they were/are watches worn by the military when out in the field).
So thanks to my watch obsession but also wanting to track my fitness, I’ve ended up in a ridiculous situation where I’ll wear two watches on one wrist; I’m not a fan of wearing watches on my right-hand wrist as it just feels off and uncomfortable.
The incessant buzzing of notifications quickly drives me mad and I find on walks it becomes a distraction, acting almost like a smartphone, which is something I want to avoid when I’m out in the fresh air and looking to curtail peeping at screens. I also find the design of smartwatches to be rather bland and soulless.
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As such, Apple really should accept it’ll be coming in second to its rival Samsung, and just make a smart ring to rival the Samsung Galaxy Ring.
One ring to rule my fitness tracking
An Apple smart ring would solve a lot of my issues with smartwatches. I’d be able to get a lot, if not all, the fitness tracking and wellness data one might expect from an Apple Watch, but also have something that I can wear alongside my traditional watches. The annoyance at the dinging of notifications would be solved too.
I could easily have my feet in both the worlds of mechanical horology and biometric engineering, and I see no reason why Apple couldn’t and wouldn’t make a smart ring.
Knowing how Apple approaches tech when it’s not the first to a new form factor or platform, I’d be confident that the Cupertino crew could produce a really refined smart ring, with, say, class-leading battery life or very impressive sensors.
I’m hopeful that Apple is indeed working on a smart ring, though I've not heard any solid rumors to back that up. Yet seeing how the company put off the somewhat odd and rather unnecessary iPhone Pocket, part of me is a little worried that the innovative Apple tech fans used to love has started to lose its way a bit.
Still, I’m going to cross my fingers for an Apple smart ring, as frankly I’m on the verge of sacking off the Apple Watch 11 and just relying on my own instincts and the thumping of my heart when it comes to gauging the toughness of a workout.
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Roland Moore-Colyer is Managing Editor at TechRadar with a focus on phones and tablets, but a general interest in all things tech, especially those with a good story behind them. He can also be found writing about games, computers, and cars when the occasion arrives, and supports with the day-to-day running of TechRadar. When not at his desk Roland can be found wandering around London, often with a look of curiosity on his face and a nose for food markets.
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