Samsung has preemptively filed suit against Oura, and revealed the Galaxy Ring's release window in the process.
SUMMARY
- Citing Oura's history of suing competitors, Samsung is seeking a ruling that its upcoming Galaxy Ring doesn't violate Oura patents.
- The suit mentions a Galaxy Ring release window "in or around August."
- The Galaxy Ring could debut alongside Samsung's latest foldables at the next Unpacked event.
Samsung is seeking a preemptive court ruling that its upcoming wearable product, the Galaxy Ring, does not infringe on competitor Oura's patents, in the process announcing the device's launch date. Ahead of the smart ring's launch "in August or so," Bloomberg Law reports, the South Korean electronics maker is seeking a California federal court ruling that the Galaxy Ring does not infringe Oura's patents, which "cover features common to virtually all smart rings."
One of the most exciting products this year was revealed at Samsung's Unpacked event in January and then unveiled at the recent Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The Galaxy Ring is a small, stylish wearable that comes in three different color variants and multiple sizes. However, it's still a ring, and its design is so inconspicuous that it can't be distinguished from other smart rings on the market. For this reason, Samsung is reportedly preparing for a legal battle against Oura.
What is the reason for this legal dispute?
Oura is known to sue its competitors.
Oura has been in the smart ring business for quite some time and has sold over 1 million rings so far. As competition in the smart ring field intensifies, the company decided to sell its products on Amazon. But that's not all Oura has in mind. The company is known to sue other smart ring makers when they launch competing wearable products, alleging that those wearable products infringe Oura's legal patents and intellectual property.
Samsung, on the other hand, doesn't want any surprises. That's the real reason the company filed the lawsuit. Reports suggest that Samsung wants to have everything ready to begin production of the ring in mid-June. The new lawsuit talks about plans to "sell the Galaxy Ring in the U.S. around August." While we knew the Galaxy Ring was coming, there was no specific release date for the new wearable device. Either way, this new lawsuit suggests that the Galaxy Ring will be unveiled alongside the company's new foldable devices at Samsung's next Unpacked event, which could take place in the coming months.