Smart rings are becoming mainstream, with a projected 49% increase in shipments in 2025, offering discreet health and activity tracking with longer battery life and more accurate readings than smartwatches. Leading brands like Oura, Ultrahuman, RingConn, and Samsung are innovating with features like sleep analysis, bloodwork integration, and AI insights, making smart rings a popular choice for continuous health monitoring. Oura remains a top contender due to its accuracy and design, as the category continues to grow and diversify.
Smart glasses are becoming mainstream, with Meta's Ray-Ban Display leading the way, and innovative wearables like EMG wristbands and smart rings are being developed to control them, indicating a trend towards more integrated and intuitive wearable tech, possibly culminating in smartwatches and advanced hand/eye tracking devices.
Oura has launched the Ring 4 Ceramic collection made from durable zirconia ceramic, a new charging case, and a 'health panel' feature allowing users to schedule blood tests and track 50 biomarkers via the app, enhancing health insights and personalization of their wearable experience.
The article discusses the recent expansion of Oura, a popular smart ring maker, into U.S. military partnerships and addresses concerns about data sharing. It then reviews top alternatives to the Oura Ring, highlighting options from Ultrahuman, Samsung, and Ringconn, focusing on price, ease of use, and compatibility, to help consumers find suitable wearable health trackers without subscription fees.
Google has revealed it is not currently developing tablets, smart rings, flip phones, or glasses, and is uncertain about releasing its own glasses in the future, focusing instead on its Pixel phones and watches while exploring other device categories.
Samsung is expanding its wearable device lineup to include new form factors such as earrings, necklaces, and glasses, aiming to create devices that allow users to communicate and perform tasks without carrying phones, building on its previous smart ring release and ongoing AR glasses development.
During Amazon Prime Day 2025, shoppers can find significant discounts on top fitness trackers and smart rings, including the Oura Ring 4, Fitbit Charge 6, Apple Watch Series 10, Garmin Forerunner 255, and Amazfit Active 2, making it an ideal time to upgrade health and fitness devices.
Amazon Prime Day 2025 offers four days of deals on fitness trackers and smart rings, with notable discounts on the Oura Ring 4, Fitbit Charge 6, Fitbit Ace LTE, Garmin Forerunner 255, and Amazfit Active 2, making it an ideal time to upgrade your wearable tech.
Oura has introduced a new feature called Symptom Radar for its smart rings, which analyzes biometric data to detect early signs of respiratory strain, such as colds and flu. This feature, available to Oura Ring 3 and 4 users, assesses metrics like heart rate variability and temperature against personal baselines to alert users of potential health issues. It encourages users to activate Rest Mode for recovery when deviations are detected. The feature, developed from the TemPredict initiative, highlights Oura's commitment to health monitoring with high accuracy.
Oura, the smart ring maker, has secured a $75 million investment from glucose monitoring device firm Dexcom, raising its valuation to over $5 billion. This partnership will integrate Oura's rings with Dexcom's glucose monitoring technology, allowing users to track blood sugar levels and make informed health decisions. The first app integration is expected by mid-2025. Oura, which has sold 2.5 million rings, anticipates doubling its sales in 2024. This collaboration positions Oura and Dexcom against competitors like Apple, which is also exploring noninvasive glucose monitoring solutions.
As Black Friday approaches, consumers are encouraged to consider smart rings as an alternative to smartwatches, which are already seeing significant discounts. While smartwatches like the Galaxy Watch 6 and Garmin models are heavily discounted, smart ring deals are rarer but expected to appear during Black Friday. Smart rings, such as the Oura Ring, offer health tracking without the discomfort of wearing a watch at night, though they are still developing in accuracy. They are positioned as a luxury item that complements traditional watches, offering basic health data without replacing smartwatches or fitness bands.
Samsung's new Galaxy Ring offers features like Find My support, a lighter form factor, and no subscription fees, making it a strong competitor to other smart rings like the Oura Ring. The Galaxy Ring is designed with premium materials, offers comprehensive health tracking, and integrates well with Samsung's ecosystem, although it is not compatible with iPhones.
Samsung has filed a lawsuit against Oura in U.S. District Court to preemptively address potential patent infringement claims over its upcoming Galaxy Ring, set for release in August 2024. Oura, which holds over 100 smart ring patents, has previously sued other smart ring makers and is seen by Samsung as a legal threat. The outcome of this case could significantly impact the future competition and innovation in the smart ring market.
Samsung is suing Oura to obtain a court ruling that its upcoming Galaxy Ring does not infringe on Oura's patents, aiming to prevent potential patent infringement lawsuits and clear the path for the Galaxy Ring's US launch in August.
Samsung confirms the launch of its Galaxy Ring in August, while preparing for potential legal battles with Oura, a leading smart ring manufacturer known for its aggressive defense of patents. Samsung is seeking legal advice to ensure the Galaxy Ring does not infringe on Oura's patents, which cover common features in fitness trackers.
