Oura's closest competitor just launched a new ring with 15-day battery - but there's a catch
Source: ZDNet
ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Ultrahuman unveiled its Ultrahuman Ring Pro.
- The smart ring offers up to 15 days of battery life (Turbo Mode: 12 days; Chill Mode: 15 days).
- Due to a patent dispute with Oura, the Ring Pro is not available for purchase in the United States at launch.
New generation smart ring
Ultrahuman’s next‑generation ring can stay on your finger for over two weeks on a single charge. It builds on the 2023 Ultrahuman Ring Air with several upgrades:
- Qi‑enabled Pro Charging Case that can store up to one year of ring data and provides up to 45 days of battery life for the case itself.
- Find My capability for locating a lost ring.
- LED indicators and haptic feedback for quick status checks.
- Data storage increased to 250 days.
- Improved memory, data processing, and redesigned heart‑rate sensor for more reliable measurements during sleep and recovery.
Battery modes
- Turbo Mode: up to 12 days of uninterrupted use.
- Chill Mode: up to 15 days of nonstop use.
Safety considerations
Recent reports have highlighted rare incidents of smart rings swelling due to defective batteries, sometimes requiring medical intervention. Ultrahuman addresses this risk with ProRelease Technology, which makes it easier to cut a stuck ring safely—an improvement over earlier lithium‑battery designs that could explode if improperly cut.
Health companion chatbot
Alongside the Ring Pro, Ultrahuman introduced Jade, an AI‑driven health companion that:
- Reviews a user’s data.
- Offers actionable insights.
- Provides personalized, data‑driven recommendations.
Pricing, colors, and availability
- Colors: Bionic Gold, Space Silver, Aster Black, Raw Titanium.
- Sizes: 5 through 14.
- Price: $479 link to purchase.
- Trade‑in deal: Up to $115 off when trading in an older Ultrahuman ring or a competing smart ring.
- Shipping: Expected next month (U.S. sales delayed due to patent issues).
Patent dispute with Oura
Ultrahuman lost a patent dispute with Oura, which currently prevents the Ring Pro from being sold in the United States. The company is working through the necessary steps to resolve the issue.
“Ring PRO is not available in the United States at launch. This is an exciting market for us where we have a huge community of passionate customers in the Ultrahuman ecosystem… We are working through the necessary steps to bring Ring PRO to our US customers and hope to share good news soon,” — Ultrahuman spokesperson.