Samsung Galaxy Ring User Hospitalized as Device Battery Swells

A Tech YouTuber’s Terrifying Experience with the Samsung Galaxy Ring

A British tech YouTuber, Daniel Rotar, recently found himself in a dangerous and unexpected situation after his Samsung Galaxy Ring battery began to swell while it was on his finger. The incident led to hospitalization and the denial of boarding for a flight, highlighting serious concerns about the safety of smart wearable technology.

Rotar, who has over 1.63 million subscribers on YouTube, shared the details of the ordeal on X. He described the alarming moment when he noticed the battery starting to expand while he was preparing to board a flight. “My Samsung Galaxy Ring's battery started swelling. While it's on my finger. And while I'm about to board a flight,” he wrote. “Now I cannot take it off and this thing hurts. Any quick suggestions?”

The post included photos of the ring stuck on his finger, which had turned red due to the pressure. In another image, he showed the swollen battery, stating, “You can see the battery expanding. Not great for something that's now stuck to my finger.”

A Dangerous Situation Escalates

Several hours later, Rotar confirmed that the swollen battery had caused him to be denied boarding and required an emergency trip to the hospital. “Won't be wearing a smart ring ever again,” he said. At the hospital, doctors used a combination of ice and medical lubricant to remove the ring from his finger.

Photos of the removed ring revealed the extent of the damage, showing the battery had expanded in multiple places, filling the interior of the ring. The incident not only caused Rotar to miss his flight but also forced him to pay for a hotel to continue his journey home the next day.

The Mystery Behind the Swelling Battery

What made the event particularly alarming is that Rotar has no idea what caused the battery to swell. He mentioned that he had been in Hawaii, where the ring was exposed to hot weather and salt water. Although the user guide advises users to dry their ring carefully if it has been exposed to water, the device claims to be water-resistant up to 100 meters.

Despite this, there’s no clear reason why the battery would have swollen, especially since he had already taken two flights earlier that day. A Samsung spokesperson told the Daily Mail: “The safety of our customers is our top priority. This is an extremely rare case, and we are in direct contact with Mr. Rotar to retrieve the product and learn about the concerns.”

Reactions from the Public and Tech Community

On X, commenters expressed both sympathy and alarm at Rotar’s predicament. One user wrote, “Who would've thought that putting a battery that could expand and explode on a ring would be not such a good idea.” Another joked, “You probably should not be getting on a flight with that. You need some ice and a lawyer.” Meanwhile, others were more concerned about the implications for smart rings in general.

Many tech fans saw this as a warning to avoid smart rings for the foreseeable future. One commenter wrote, “Damn I was gonna get an Oura ring ... Now having second thoughts on it. That is scary.” Another said, “Definitely just guaranteed I won't ever be buying a smart ring.”

Some even suggested that the incident had “just killed their [Samsung's] product line.”

A History of Battery Issues

This is not the first time Samsung has faced scrutiny over battery faults. In 2017, numerous cases of overheating and burning devices were reported with the Galaxy Note 7. Samsung's investigation revealed that the issue stemmed from a flaw in the lithium-ion batteries, leading to a massive recall and a loss of consumer trust.