Oura isn’t launching a fifth-gen smart ring this year. Instead, it’s zhuzhing up its lineup with colorful ceramic versions of its Oura Ring 4.
The ceramic rings start at $499, and will come in four colors: midnight (teal), petal (pink), tide (mint green), and cloud (white). The rings utilize zirconia ceramic, which Oura says it chose for its durability. Supposedly, Oura says that the ceramic is so hard, that it can cause some metals to scuff. On the plus side, the color is isn’t a coating unlike some of the metal finishes, meaning there’s no fading over time. This was a problem I had with the rose gold Oura Ring Gen 3, which started to look notably less rosy over the course of a few months.
The ceramic rings are thicker at 3.51mm compared to the regular 2.88mm fourth-gen ring. They’re slightly heavier, too, ranging from 5.1 to 8.1g compared to 3.3 to 5.2g. Otherwise, the width, the inner side of the ring, as well as the sensors are identical to the Oura Ring 4. They’ll be available in all sizes, ranging from size 4 to size 15.
Oura’s clearly appealing to people with a more playful sense of fashion — as well as planting the idea that some folks may want to own multiple rings to fit various occasions. To that end, Oura is introducing multi-ring device support, meaning you’ll be able to switch between two rings more easily within the app. This is similar to what Apple does with its Apple Watches, where you can swap between multiple models if you happen to own more than one. Oura is also introducing a device recycling program, where you can send in older rings once you upgrade.
Perhaps more exciting is the fact that Oura is finally introducing a $99 charging case as an add-on accessory. Each case is specific to your ring size, but will hold up to 5 full charges and can juice a ring from zero to 100 percent in about 90 minutes. (The case itself also takes about 90 minutes to fully charge.) The case is made from aluminum, has a charging indicator light, and charges via USB-C.
Lastly, Oura is adding a new feature called Health Panels. From the app, users will be able to schedule a blood test with a local Quest Diagnostics location. Once the results are in, they can view roughly 50 biomarkers from the app relating to cardiovascular and metabolic health. Users can consult with Oura Advisor, the company’s AI chatbot, about their results within the app — though the bot isn’t allowed to give any diagnostic or medical advice. It’s more like the bot can tell you whether your results appear to be within normal ranges, and tips how to improve certain markers. Tests cost $99, are FSA/HSA eligible, and are reviewed by a licensed healthcare provider. Health Panels is only launching in the US for now, though state-level and regulatory restrictions mean it’ll be unavailable to users in Arizona, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island.
Whoop announced a similar feature earlier this summer, which also aims to help users get blood tests that are then reviewed by a clinician. That feature has yet to launch. However, it’s notable that both Whoop and Oura — both companies known for emphasizing recovery and using science in their marketing — are leaning into this aspect of health tracking.
Original Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/787210/oura-ring-ceramic-charging-case-price-specs
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