Samsung is moving beyond smartwatches and fitness rings. The tech giant is exploring an expansion into less conventional wearable devices, including smart glasses, earrings, necklaces, and rings, as it seeks new ways for users to stay connected without constantly reaching for their phones.
Won-joon Choi, chief operating officer of Samsung’s mobile experience division, told CNN that the company is looking into new wearable form factors that blend seamlessly into users’ daily lives while offering utility.
“We believe it should be wearable, something that you shouldn’t carry, (that) you don’t need to carry. So it could be something that you wear, glasses, earrings, watches, rings, and sometime (a) necklace,” Choi said.
The strategy is both about hardware and a change in how Samsung views the future of personal tech. Devices aren’t simply tools anymore, they are accessories designed to reduce dependency on smartphones.
Samsung is not alone in this direction. Meta, OpenAI, Google, Snap, and others are racing to develop similar hardware. Meta has already sold over 2 million AI-powered Ray-Ban smart glasses since 2023 and recently bought a stake in Ray-Ban parent EssilorLuxottica, deepening its commitment to smart eyewear.
Samsung, meanwhile, is collaborating with Google on augmented reality glasses and is reportedly developing an advanced microdisplay, according to Korea Economic Daily.
When asked whether Samsung is actively developing earrings or other wearable tech, Choi said, “We are looking at all kinds of possibilities.” His comments point to the fact that while these ideas are still in early stages, Samsung is serious about redefining the concept of wearables as fashion-integrated tech.
But ambition alone won’t guarantee success. Several tech startups have already tried and failed to deliver smartphone alternatives. Humane’s AI Pin collapsed due to poor performance and high costs, eventually leading the company to shut down and sell assets to HP.
Rabbit R1 underwhelmed on arrival. Friend, another startup, promised a smart necklace but has delayed its release to later this year.
Samsung, however, seems to be taking a more measured path. Choi clarified that the company isn’t trying to replace smartphones outright. Instead, the upcoming wearables would function as extensions, similar to how its smartwatches currently complement its phones.
That careful positioning may be important. Unlike some devices that try to be everything at once, Samsung’s vision is to offer specific functionality in subtle, wearable form. “We are actively working on glasses, but some people do not want to wear glasses because they change their look,” Choi added. “So we are also exploring other types of devices.”
In short, Samsung wants to meet users where they are, in their routines, on their bodies, and within their fashion choices. Whether it’s a necklace that lets you message someone or earrings that listen and respond, the idea is to make tech invisible but indispensable.
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