Get the latest tech news

Samsung's $399 Galaxy Ring requires no subscription - Oura, take note

Is the smart ring subscription a sustainable model or a relic? With Samsung's launch taking the once niche wearable mainstream, a fee-based future is uncertain.

As competition in the smart ring space heats up, the tech giant's product launch is taking the once-novel wearable form factor into the mainstream. The subscription model now helps fund research and development for software upgrades and features that keep the brand competitive, an Oura spokesperson explained to ZDNET. While subscriptions are annoying -- and possibly a deterrent -- for customers, they do encourage people to continue using their devices well after they've purchased them, not just throw them in their jewelry box and forget about them after a few months.

Get the Android app