Samsung has had a history (quite illustrious) with its battery tech fault in mobile devices and almost a decade later, it seems that the ghost of the past have returned to haunt. Ever since the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco, Samsung has exercised extreme caution to ensure user safety on all its products, even if innovation has to wait a few years. However, with the Galaxy Ring, it seems that Samsung may have rushed to get its unique wearable tech out first.
Tech influencer Daniel Rotar, known as ZONEofTECH on social media, recently faced a concerning incident when the battery of his Samsung Galaxy Ring smart wearable began swelling while he wore it. The swelling caused the ring to get stuck painfully on his finger just as he was about to board an international flight, which not only led to the cancellation of his travel plans but also to a trip to the emergency room for safe removal.
Samsung smart ring battery swells up while worn
While travelling, Rotar shared the experience on X (formerly Twitter), showing images of the swollen ring engulfing his finger with no gap between skin and device. The techie said that the Galaxy Ring’s inside has swelled up on its own, raising concerns about a battery explosion. Since the Galaxy Ring’s outer shell is made of Titanium, the battery swelled up on the inside, causing it to get stuck and hurt Rotar’s finger.
Attempts to remove the ring using soap and water failed, and the severe swelling compelled medical professionals to intervene. The device was eventually removed safely after applying ice and lubricant, but the ordeal left an injury mark on his finger.
Rotar stated that he would never wear a smart ring again.
This incident, however, wasn’t a once-off. A quick scroll through Reddit suggested that several Galaxy Ring users had faced similar issues with the battery in the past, with Samsung eventually replacing the battery, only for the issue to re-emerge in a few of the cases.
Rotar noted his device’s battery performance had been “very weird for many months,” with the device unable to hold a charge for more than a day and a half and frequently requiring extended charging periods.
Samsung responded swiftly
Soon after the post went viral, Samsung reached out to the content creator and assured them of an investigation. After emphasising that customer safety is its highest priority, the company contacted Rotar directly and collected the ring for further investigation. Samsung also reimbursed him for hotel accommodation expenses incurred because of the incident and arranged transport for him.
In an official statement to the media, Samsung said, “This is an extremely rare case, and we are in direct contact with Mr. Rotar to retrieve the product and learn about the concerns.”
