Samsung Electronics filed a lawsuit against Oura, a preemptive move that aims to block the Finnish health tech firm from enforcing patent claims on smart rings.
The suit comes months before Samsung is set to release its Galaxy Ring and after Oura CEO Tom Hale reacted to Samsung’s smart ring reveal in January, expressing his intention to several media outlets that the company will protect its technology.
“Oura has repeatedly stated its intention to enforce its patents against entrants into the smart ring market, including in response to questions regarding Samsung’s forthcoming release of the Galaxy Ring,” the company’s demand for jury trial filed on May 30 stated.
In the court document, Samsung asserts that Oura is killing the competition by suing rivals for “patent infringement against features common to all smart rings,” citing its suits against rivals Ultrahuman, Circular, and RingConn.
Some brands were sued by the Finnish company even before they entered the U.S. market, as they present "an actual, imminent risk to Samsung and the sale of its Galaxy Ring product.”
Samsung established in its court filing that since 2013, its Galaxy Gear and Galaxy Watch products have been equipped with health and fitness features that use similar technology as a smart ring.
The South Korean brand details the specific features of the Galaxy Ring and how it differs from Oura’s patent-protected technologies, ending with the hope that the court will declare that “Samsung does not directly or indirectly infringe any asserted claims of Patents-in-Suit.”
Samsung Galaxy Ring's Release Date
Although their favorite brand is now embroiled in a litigious battle of patents, fans are excited about other details the court document revealed.
The tech giant indicated that it will begin mass production of the Galaxy Ring in June and will release it in the U.S. in August.
This made fans and tech experts speculate about its features and price, with some estimating it to be about $300, which is within the price range of Oura rings.
The Samsung Galaxy Ring may have a “Lost Mode” feature
— Miles (@Muphuchikosi) June 5, 2024
The ring is said to include LED lights
Samsung Find App will reportedly notify users if the light is blinking pic.twitter.com/VjdR23tfa0
Samsung gave us a first look at its smart ring during its Galaxy Unpacked event in San Jose, California on January 17.
In February, we see its physical models showcased at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.
These reveals created a huge buzz online, increasing anticipation for when the Galaxy Ring will finally come to stores around the world.
Shortly after, Dr. Hon Pak, Samsung Electronics America’s chief medical officer, wrote about the brand’s intelligent health platform, giving us an idea about general plans for the Galaxy Ring.
“With Galaxy Ring, users can embrace an unrivaled experience during every step of their wellness journey, all while being delivered in lockstep with Samsung’s broader vision for a more connected, integrated, and seamless digital wellness platform,” Dr. Pak wrote in his editorial.
While Samsung’s preemptive strike against Oura is a big step in ensuring the Galaxy Ring’s August release, the verdict will still determine whether the highly-anticipated smart ring will be sold in the U.S. as scheduled.
