Samsung Galaxy Ring might give bigger fingers bigger batteries
An FCC (Federal Communications Commission) listing was discovered for Samsung’s long-awaited Galaxy Ring, providing new insight into the wearable. The documents reveal nine different models will be available at launch, not eight as previously reported.
The series consists of models SM-Q500 through SM-Q509, although they’re skipping over SM-Q504 if the listing is to be believed. Ring widths go from US size 5 to 13. SM-Q505 appears to be the smallest in the Galaxy Ring family at size 5, and SM-Q502 is the currently known biggest model at size 12.
SM-Q503 is missing from Samsung’s test report so it’s unknown how large it will be. Logic dictates the model will be size 13, but nothing has been confirmed. At one point, images of SM-Q503 were in the FCC listing, but they’ve since been removed from the website.
News site Droid Life saved them in their coverage, and the Galaxy Ring pictured looks a little different from the silver prototype seen back in February. The outside looks like it has a black matte coating, while the inside is glossy. You can even see some of the sensors jutting out.
All these details on SM-Q503 align with what industry analyst Avi Greengart said back in January. He said ring sizes would go up 13 and it’ll be available in “three finishes”.
Size matters
The most interesting tidbit in the FCC listing is that the battery size may correspond to the wearable’s ring size.
SM-Q505 through SM-Q507 will have the smallest battery, at 17 mAh, while SM-Q508, Q509, Q500, and Q501 have the mid-range battery at 18.5 mAh. Lastly, SM-Q502 and SM-Q503 are said to have the largest at 22 mAh.
So, does this mean users with thicker fingers will get to own a Galaxy Ring with a longer battery life than the rest? Possibly.
In early March 2024, Dr. Hon Pak, who is the Head of Samsung’s Digital Health Team, claimed the Galaxy Ring can last “somewhere between five and nine days” on a single charge – depending on how you use it. The Q503 could be the unit to last over a week although it’s hard to say for sure as the listing doesn’t mention battery longevity or charging speeds.
They do show drawings of what appears to be the wearable’s charging dock, though. Each one has the model number of its corresponding Galaxy Ring etched in, although it’s unknown if its size will differ from that of its accompanying device. What’s more, the dock is square and has a USB port on the side – presumably for a USB-C cable.
That’s pretty much everything in the FCC listing. You can read through the whole thing here, but be aware that most of it is just boring paperwork apart from the label document and two reports.
Be sure to check out TechRadar’s roundup of the best smart ring for 2024.
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