A defective Samsung Galaxy Ring battery has had serious consequences for one user. The wearable is said to have swollen so much during a journey that it could no longer be removed from the finger. The owner was stopped from boarding a flight and had to go to hospital instead.

British YouTuber Daniel Rotar (ZoneofTech) was the person affected. Before boarding a flight from Hawaii, he noticed that the battery in his Galaxy Ring was swollen, causing the ring to get painfully tight. As lithium-ion batteries pose a safety risk in this condition, the airline refused entry to the plane.

The titanium ring could only be removed at hospital, and only with a combination of ice and medical lubricant. It was not necessary to cut the ring open, which would have meant a risk of fire or explosion of the battery.

It’s bad news for Samsung, which hasn’t had the smoothest history with battery problems – the Galaxy Note 7 was famously recalled and discontinued.

Indications of a pre-damaged battery

Rotar had previously reported conspicuously short battery runtimes. Instead of the intended battery life of around one week, the Ring only lasted around one and a half days. Such symptoms can indicate a damaged battery.

The YouTuber himself cited the high heat in Hawaii, contact with salt water or an already weakened battery as possible reasons for the battery swelling. Despite IP68 and 10ATM certifications, Samsung’s Galaxy Ring is not explicitly protected against corrosion from salt water.

Chris Martin / Foundry

Reports of similar problems have been accumulating for months in online forums such as Reddit. In addition to greatly reduced battery life, users are also reporting deformed rings due to bloated batteries.

Samsung stated that such incidents are very rare. The company is in contact with those affected and refer to general tips on how to remove stuck rings – for example, with soap and water or cold water.

The manufacturer has not yet commented on the causes of the defects or whether the problem can be fixed with a firmware update.

What users should look out for

The following applies to owners of all smart rings: If the battery life decreases significantly, this can be a warning sign of defects. In this case, you should stop using the device as a precaution, especially if the fit it tight on your finger.

The current incident makes it clear that smart rings are difficult to remove in an emergency – and there is currently no safety solution for quick removal.