Smart rings are fast becoming a staple of wearable devices, gaining popularity at a fantastic rate. They have many advantages, mainly because of their long battery life and incredible health monitoring capabilities. But anyone considering replacing their smartwatch with a smart ring might be disappointed because smart rings have a few disadvantages, too.
The Disadvantages of Smart Rings
Many disadvantages of smart rings are linked to their small size and the fact that technology hasn’t reached the point where we can easily fit full smartwatch functionality into such a tiny package.
Limited Capabilities
Smart rings aren’t smartwatch replacements—at least, not in every sense. Their primary focus is health and fitness tracking, which they can do even when we’re sleeping due to their long battery lives. Notifications are limited, if they even have notifications because most don’t have screens or their screens are tiny.
You can’t browse the web, listen to music, or take phone calls using only your smart ring, which are all things that modern smartwatches can do. As technology improves, we might get more capable smart rings in the future, but many people find them underwhelming the way they are right now.
Lack of Standardization
Smart rings are like the Wild West of wearable devices. While smartwatches are dominated by big brands like Apple and Samsung that set the standards, each smart ring manufacturer follows its own code of conduct. This leads to potential security breaches, possible incompatibilities, and software bugs.
Sizing and Comfort
Smart rings weigh less than smartwatches but generally weigh more than regular rings. Some smart ring sensors also tend to work better on the index finger, where very few people are used to wearing rings. This might lead to discomfort.
It could also be challenging to find the right size. Though many brands offer free sizing kits before you purchase, that doesn’t apply to all brands. So, unless you can go into a store and try out different sizes, you might get a smart ring that doesn’t fit properly.
Cost
Many smart rings cost less than some other wearable devices. However, when you compare their prices and capabilities with those of other wearables, you might notice that smartwatches offer many more features, to the point where you can almost replace a smartphone with a high-end smartwatch.
Smart rings don’t even come close to this. Don’t get me wrong—they fill a niche and are excellent at what they do, but their cost might be too high for those who want more features.
What’s Next?
If you’re on the fence about buying a smart ring, you might want to compare the capabilities of smart rings and smartwatches. In that case, I have just the information you need!
