Samsung’s Galaxy Ring just exposed my biggest smart ring fear

Smart rings are small, discreet, and stay out of the way while logging heart rate, sleep patterns, and more. But when something goes wrong, that convenience can quickly turn into a liability. A Galaxy Ring user recently reported that his ring’s battery swelled while on his finger, making removal impossible without hospital intervention. More than just nightmare fuel, the incident highlights a design flaw across the entire industry. Smart rings, for all their promise, lack an emergency exit.

Trapped by my own tech

Credit: Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority

Unlike watches or bands, rings don’t unbuckle (or un-Velcro) for easy removal. They only come off the way they go on: sliding past knuckles. If a finger swells, whether from heat, hydration, or a malfunctioning battery, the device can quickly become a vise. In the case of one unlucky Galaxy Ring user, battery swelling turned a well-fitting device into a finger trap, grounding his flight plans and sending him to the ER.

The fear of having a ring of any kind stuck on my finger is very real.

That’s exactly what happened to tech creator Daniel (@ZONEofTECH). According to Daniel, after his Galaxy Ring’s battery failed, soap and hand cream only made things worse. Airport staff denied him boarding, and he ended up in a hospital, where doctors used ice and medical lubricant to slide the ring free.