The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 and Flip6, plus an improved Galaxy AI, may have been the stars of July's Unpacked in Paris, but the tech giant made sure to “ring” in a new era when it comes to wearables.
The Galaxy Ring stole the show in the French capital, one of two major wearables introduced, as the world's biggest mobile phone manufacturer doubles down on strengthening its device ecosystem.
We go through each flagship wearable to find out if it's worth the upgrade.
Galaxy Buds3 Pro: 'Edgy' but useful
Let's get this out of the way now: while we won't be the first to say this, we still have to – the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro looks like an accessory for the Tesla Cybertruck. Elon Musk, who now has a beef with Apple over OpenAI, should be proud.
One look and that's immediately noticeable – just look at the sharp-cornered design Samsung used this time for its stems – “blades”, as they call it – and the silver shade (we did get the white colour, though).
And you'd also be forgiven if you mistake it for something else; squint and you might, for a split second, think you've just seen a pair of Apple AirPods Pro.
Nevertheless, Samsung's touting this as its best headset by far. Starting with its design – and considering everything we've already mentioned – it's a hit-or-miss.
Doing away with the round stems and replacing them with edged ones somewhat makes it confusing to pinpoint where exactly to interact with it; with cylindrical stems, it's just a matter of touching it in a predetermined area.
For the Buds3 Pro, the back side of the blades is where you can control calls, music and volume, via pinching or swiping (the standard fare). A long press brings a custom function that you can set. There's also an option to customise each blade to your liking.
A unique feature of the blades is that they have LEDs, or “blade lights”; when you remove the Buds3 Pro from its charging case, the LEDs are off by default, but you can switch them on or off by squeezing both blades at the same time.
Other than that, its only other notable function is that you can customise the way it behaves, similar to what you can do with Christmas lights. And you have to remember that both have to be at least 30 per cent charged for this to work.
The blade lights are really just a novelty to show you have lights dancing on your ears. But it does come in handy if you lose your Buds3 Pro and try to locate it, since the LEDs will steadily light up to help you find them.
Meanwhile, sound quality is good, and you can spice things up with the equaliser settings on your device. However, noise cancellation can be suspect, as the device doesn't have a really perfect seal on your ears.
Predetermined voice controls are also on the Buds3 Pro – replacing the blade controls above – which did a good job. Keep in mind, however, that Buds3 Pro-specific voice commands are only available in English and Korean at the moment. If you want more interaction, go ahead and activate Bixby.
Which leads us to its most unique capability – real-time interpreter: it listens to someone – be it a person giving a lecture or speech, or someone you're just talking to – then translates it for you in a language you understand. You can also use the Samsung Interpreter app to transcribe it for you.
While it does a pretty decent job, the problem is when your surroundings become noisy, as it may affect the translation. In any case, when desperate language barrier times call for desperate measures, it's a pretty handy feature to take advantage of.
Galaxy Watch Ultra: A big difference
While Samsung launched the token Galaxy Watch7 at the Paris Unpacked, its digital timepiece of the moment is the monstrous Galaxy Watch Ultra. (Before you go up in arms over the familiar-sounding name, we've already pointed that Samsung got to using “ultra” first.)
At the risk of stating the obvious, the device is Samsung's very own entry in the high-tech extreme-condition watch game. It's as sturdy as it comes: 47mm display, titanium build, up to 100 metres underwater, up to 100 hours of battery, and a MIL-STD-810H military certification, meaning it has protection from environmental pressure, shock, vibration, blowing sand and temperatures (from -20 to 55 degrees Celsius).
You'd also have no problems if you use it at 500 metres below sea level to 9,000 metres above sea level. Also, you get all the expected health-metrics features.
For perspective, the last Samsung watch focused on endurance, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, also had a titanium casing and that same military-grade protection, but with only half the water resistance and without such a high altitude range.
With the Galaxy Watch Ultra, it's pretty much making a statement: it's bold and its colours seem to belt out certain auras – titanium white is elegant, titanium silver looks ready to rumble and titanium grey, with its orange accents, is an eye-catcher. Our top choice was white, but the grey option, which we have, has grown on us.
We also find the display and its complications outstanding, and navigation is simple, which is made even more seamless with its touch bezel.
Samsung's watches are known to have physically-rotating bezels (sometimes none), but the uniqueness of the Watch Ultra's bezel is that it's raised, so sliding your finger around it makes it easier to navigate. Add a tiny haptic bump for each feature or app you go to lets you know where you are, giving more precise control.
The drawback: it's too big to wear while sleeping. And this is where the main draw of Samsung's newest collection of wearables comes in.
Galaxy Ring
While smart rings aren't new – it's been in the market for like a decade now, and think the likes of Oura and Ultrahuman – the Samsung Galaxy Ring is the first from a mainstream and major company.
It's unassuming at first, as it would look like your garden-variety finger bling – until you see its inner makings to find out there are sensors crammed into it that measures certain health metrics. It comes in titanium black, titanium silver and, our favourite and which we got, titanium gold.
The device comes in nine sizes, from 5 to 13, and if you aren't sure what your size is, Samsung will send a free sizing kit when you order it up. The company recommends using your index finger “for optimal performance and accuracy”.
You'll notice a small indentation on it, which indicates that that is the part of the Ring that should be facing your palm to provide the best results.
The health metrics that the Ring is able to measure include heart rate, sleep, snoring, steps, menstrual cycle and stress. It'll even help you identify your sleep animal and give you tips if you're not sleeping well.
It also has gesture controls, albeit only two at the moment: by double pinching your thumb and the finger where your Ring is, you can either dismiss an alarm on your phone, or take a photo or video. It's helpful, but it's not 100 per cent accurate, as we're not so sure on the actual cadence to enable it.
The problem with the Galaxy Ring is that it may be too bulky. It's too thick that when we reach out to our pocket, like in tight jeans for example, it'll hit the pocket's lips thus forcing you to adjust your hand to make it go inside. While driving, it can also feel weird to feel the Ring graze the steering wheel.
To recoup its battery – it lasts up to seven days, per Samsung – you'll have to slot it in its very own clear-glass charging case, complete with an LED indicator that, among other things, indicates its charge level. As a colleague put it, the case seems too “blingy”; we prefer a solid, simpler look on this end.
Bad news: the device is only currently available in six countries – China, France, Germany, South Korea, the UK and the US. Good news: Samsung Gulf told The National they are “working very hard” to try to have the Galaxy Ring in the UAE in the next wave of availability, but without an estimated date.
The verdict
Samsung somewhat went all-in with the Galaxy Buds3 Pro, Watch Ultra and Ring as complements to its Galaxy AI platform now on its more flexible screens. This is a move meant not just to strengthen its ecosystem, but also send a message that it's serious with generative AI.
The Buds3 Pro, at Dh819, seems a little on the high side of the price spectrum, while the Watch Ultra, at Dh2,499, looks fair. Both, however, are still markedly below the devices they are aimed at, Apple's second-generation AirPods Pro and Watch Ultra 2.
It's with the Ring – $399; we expect it at Dh1,499 when it hits the UAE – where our interest lies: Samsung bringing this category into the mainstream could, just like with its foldables, give it a head start, but whether or not it will catch on remains to be seen.
Will it replace your smartwatch? Depends on how it pans out and your preferences. You could use it as a unique and high-tech way to propose, though.
