Oura Ring Debuts Vibrant Ceramic Styles & Charging Case
▼ Summary
– Oura is not releasing a fifth-generation smart ring this year but is introducing colorful ceramic versions of its Oura Ring 4.
– The ceramic rings are made from durable zirconia ceramic, come in four colors, and retain their color without fading over time.
– These rings are thicker and heavier than the metal Oura Ring 4s but share the same width, inner design, and sensors.
– New features include multi-ring device support for switching between rings in the app and a $99 charging case as an add-on accessory.
– Oura is launching Health Panels in the US, allowing users to schedule blood tests and view results in the app with AI guidance, excluding some states.
Oura has unveiled a fresh collection of ceramic smart rings and a convenient charging case, expanding its wearable tech lineup without introducing a new generation. Rather than launching a fifth-generation ring, the company is enhancing its current Oura Ring 4 with vibrant ceramic versions. These new rings are available in four distinct colors: midnight (a teal shade), petal (pink), tide (mint green), and cloud (white). Priced starting at $499, they are crafted from zirconia ceramic, a material chosen for its exceptional durability. Oura notes that the ceramic is so hard it could potentially scuff softer metals. A significant advantage is that the color is not a surface coating, unlike some metal finishes, which means it won’t fade over time, a common issue some users experienced with earlier rose gold models.
The ceramic rings are noticeably thicker and heavier than their metal counterparts. They measure 3.51mm in thickness compared to 2.88mm for the standard Oura Ring 4. Weight also increases, ranging from 5.1 to 8.1 grams versus 3.3 to 5.2 grams for the metal versions. Despite these differences, the width, interior design, and sensor technology remain identical to the existing Oura Ring 4. The ceramic rings will be offered in all sizes, from size 4 to size 15, ensuring a broad range of fit options.
This move clearly targets fashion-conscious consumers who enjoy expressing personal style, while also suggesting that some users might want to own multiple rings for different occasions. To support this, Oura is rolling out multi-ring device support within its app, allowing seamless switching between two registered rings. This functionality mirrors Apple’s approach with multiple Apple Watches. Additionally, the company is introducing a device recycling program, enabling customers to return older rings when they upgrade.
A highly anticipated accessory is the new $99 charging case, which functions as a portable power bank. Each case is sized specifically to fit your ring and can store up to five full charges. It can recharge a ring from zero to 100 percent in approximately 90 minutes, with the case itself requiring a similar timeframe to recharge fully via USB-C. Constructed from aluminum and featuring a charging indicator light, the case is sold separately as an add-on. New rings will continue to ship with the traditional charging dock by default.
Oura is also expanding its health services with a feature called Health Panels. Through the app, users in the United States can schedule a blood test at a local Quest Diagnostics facility. After results are processed, roughly 50 biomarkers related to cardiovascular and metabolic health become viewable in the app. Users can discuss these results with Oura Advisor, the company’s AI chatbot, which can indicate whether biomarkers fall within typical ranges and offer general wellness tips. However, the chatbot is not permitted to provide diagnostic or medical advice. Each test costs $99, is eligible for FSA/HSA funds, and is reviewed by a licensed healthcare provider. Due to state-level regulations, Health Panels will not be available to residents of Arizona, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island.
This development follows a similar announcement from competitor Whoop earlier in the summer, which also plans to integrate clinician-reviewed blood testing. Although Whoop’s feature has not yet launched, it highlights a growing trend among fitness and recovery-focused companies to incorporate more clinical health data into their tracking ecosystems.
(Source: The Verge)
