In a year filled with technological advancements, from Apple’s first-ever mixed reality headset to the modern space race powered by artificial intelligence, one particular niche product is realizing the company’s mainstream aspirations with its smart ring. I did.
According to IDCglobal ring sales are estimated to be 880,000 pieces in 2023. The market research firm predicts it will rise to 1.7 million pieces this year and jump further to 3.2 million pieces in 2025. As consumers continue to look for ways to dial in their rings for their health and well-being, the effortless form factor of smart rings is slowly but surely taking over the market from fitness trackers, bands, and smartwatches. We are taking market share. The first sign was the proliferation of new smart rings at CES 2024.
Also, the era of smart rings has arrived. This is why it’s shaking up the wearables market
While the smart ring category was exemplified by the first major technology vendor entry with Samsung’s Galaxy Ring, and exciting new entries such as Ultrahuman and Movano Evie; oura ring 4 stands out as a beacon that seamlessly integrates advanced health tracking technology with everyday health conditions. This rare synergy of hardware and software pursues actionable insights that lead to meaningful life changes, earning Oura Ring 4 the top spot on ZDNET’s Best Smart Rings list and being named ZDNET’s 2024 It has been recognized as the best product of the year.
Of all the products launched this year, why was Oura Ring 4 chosen? It plays to its strengths, and perhaps more importantly, its timing. Oura Ring 4’s release schedule (early October) turns out to be its greatest asset.
Review: Oura Ring 4: The best smart ring we tested this year
As competitors such as Samsung and Ultrahuman rushed to market, Oura maintained the status quo with frequent software updates and defended against the jab with improvements to stress monitoring, women’s health features, heart rate variability, and more. The counterpunch was when the Ring 4 launched this fall with a new design that outperformed competing wearables. Meanwhile, it was sold at the same retail price as the previous Ring 3.
Oura Ring 4 introduced several hardware improvements at a starting price of $349.
- The internal sensor is flushed for a more comfortable fit.
- Rings are now available in more sizes, including 4, 5, 14, and 15, giving you a wider range of sizes than ever before.
- A total of 18 new signal paths enable the ring to collect more accurate health data.
- The increased battery capacity brings the ring’s rated durability to 8 days.
These changes were supported by a companion app that ZDNET experts agree is the most intuitive, user-centered, and helpful software experience available. For example, sleep scores are combined with personalized recommendations, stress data is associated with mindfulness prompts, and activity tracking is tailored to an individual’s readiness level, taking into account every user’s unique needs and health status. will be done.
“The ability to monitor your vitals, use the data collected to predict disease, and contextualize your health status to provide data that can be used for diagnosis makes this smart ring better than many of its competitors.” adds Nina Raemont, ZDNET’s smart ring reviewer.
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Still, there’s still one question mark about the Oura Ring 4 and the company in general. It’s a subscription fee. While competitors have adopted subscription-less business models to upsell smart rings, Oura continues to justify its $6/month fee with continued innovation, cross-device compatibility, and increasing value. I am. For example, Ring 3 owners may not have access to the Ring 4’s enhanced sensors, but they will still benefit from the latest sleep algorithms, stress tracking features, and mindfulness tools introduced through the app. You can.
Samsung Galaxy Ring retails for $399 with no additional subscription fees.
Kelly Wang/ZDNET
The app’s ability to understand complex health metrics, combined with continuous updates, transforms Oura Ring from just a gadget to a life-enhancing tool. For many users, this transformation justifies the monthly fee. For others, that’s the main reason to invest in a competing smart ring.
Health technology has taken center stage in recent years due to the growing awareness of how important it is to monitor our physical and mental health. The demand for accessible, reliable, and insightful health tools has never been greater, and Oura Ring 4 earns ZDNET’s top recommendation.
