Oura has released the Oura Ring 4 and a major overhaul of its accompanying app. The new ring has a proprietary sensing technology called Smart Sensing, which is supposed to be more accurate with health data than ever before.
The Oura Ring 4 is built around Smart Sensing, a technology that adapts to the wearer's finger physiology for continuous and accurate data tracking, regardless of the ring's position. This technology has significantly improved signal quality, resulting in greater accuracy in measurements like blood oxygen sensing and breathing disturbance index. The ring also features a sleek, all-titanium design with recessed sensors so you can wear it all day and night.
The updated Oura App gives users a simplified and accessible overview of their health data. It's organized into three main tabs: Today, Vitals, and My Health. The Today tab offers real-time health information, Vitals provides an in-depth look at specific metrics and scores, and My Health tracks long-term health trends like Cardiovascular Age and Stress Resilience.
The launch also brings several new features to the Oura ecosystem. Automatic Activity Detection recognizes and tracks various movements and heart rate zones during workouts. It also has Fertility Insights, which gives users more information about their chances of pregnancy during their menstrual cycle. The Daytime Stress feature now overlays daily activity data with the Daytime Stress chart, helping users understand the impact of their movement on their stress levels.
Oura is offering the Ring 4 in sizes (4 to 15) with six finishes, and the battery life lasts up to eight days before it needs to be recharged. Notably, this is the first new Oura Ring since the arrival of Samsung's direct competitor, the Galaxy Ring. Oura Health has been famously litigious against competing smart rings, to the point where Samsung preemptively sued Oura to claim the Galaxy Ring doesn't infringe on any of Oura's patents. That lawsuit was dismissed in July.
The Oura Ring 4 is available for pre-order and will start shipping on October 15, 2024. You can buy the ring directly from the website for $349, but keep in mind that the app requires a monthly or annual membership to use. We reviewed this membership and found it to be well worth the money. A month of membership comes with the purchase, but after that, the membership is $5.99 a month or $69.99 a year. The redesigned Oura App is available for all Oura members, regardless of their ring generation.
Source: Oura Health