These Smart Rings Are Being Pulled From the Market
Did you know you can set up Google to filter out junk? Follow these steps to improve your search results, including adding my work on Lifehacker as a preferred source .
Smart ring maker Oura recently won a patent lawsuit against competitors Ultrahuman and RingConn. As a result, these companies were ordered to pull their rings from the market within 60 days. For now, the rings are still available for purchase. Below, I will discuss the legal situation and the companies’ plans for the coming months.
How do Oura’s, Ultraman’s, and RingConn’s rings relate?
Oura is the biggest name in smart rings. The latest model of the ring costs between $349 and $499 (depending on the color), and requires a $5.99 per month subscription to use the data it collects. The ring can track data like heart rate during sleep and exercise, and the app provides analytics like a sleep score and bedtime recommendations. I’ve been using an Oura ring for years ; I like it, but it has its limitations compared to watch-based trackers. Here’s my review of the current model, the 4th generation .
The Ultrahuman ring costs $349 regardless of color, and doesn’t require a subscription. The Ultrahuman app leans toward biohacking trends, like suggesting an optimal “caffeine window” based on your sleep patterns. Like the Oura ring, it can track things like heart rate during sleep and exercise. Ultrahuman also sells glucose meters, home air quality monitors, and a blood-testing service. Some features of the ring’s app, called “sockets,” require a separate subscription to activate. I wore the Ultrahuman ring for this review; I hope to be able to read that review soon. In the meantime, here’s ZDNet’s review .
RingConn sells two versions of its ring: the Gen 2 for $299 and the Gen 2 Air for $199. RingConn markets its rings as the thinnest and lightest on the market. These rings also track data like heart rate during sleep and exercise. Like the Ultrahuman, RingConn’s rings do not require a subscription. You can read ZDNet’s review of the Gen 2 here .
Why a Recent Court Ruling Means Ultrahuman and RingConn Will Be Taken Off the Market
Oura filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Ultrahuman and RingConn with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC). The ITC ruled that Ultrahuman and RingConn had infringed Oura’s patents and should be removed from the market. Oura published the full version of its April 2025 filing here .
The patent in question describes a “worn ring” with a battery and sensors of a certain configuration. Oura filed for the patent in 2023, and the patent was granted in 2024. Apparently, we are talking about the 4th (current) generation version of the ring with a smooth inner surface, and not the protruding sensors of the 3rd generation.
As a result of the ITC’s decision, cease and desist letters were sent to various Ultrahuman and RingConns entities, prohibiting them from selling, importing, distributing, or advertising the patent-infringing rings.
The rings will be available until at least October 21st.
The cease-and-desist letters state that the companies can continue to sell the rings during the 60-day period during which the ruling is pending. This means that the rings are expected to remain on the market until October 21, 2025. If you want to buy an Ultrahuman ring or RingConn, do so before then.
After that date, resellers who have rings in stock will still be able to sell what they have, provided that Ultrahuman and RingConn are not involved in the process (as far as I understand).
Ultrahuman also stated that they are “fast-tracking a redesigned Ring” that they hope will be able to sell without restrictions.
What companies say about this
I contacted all three companies for more information. A representative from Oura linked me to this blog post about the decision and issued a statement that said, in part:
ŌURA has achieved a decisive legal victory: the International Trade Commission (ITC) has ruled that ŌURA’s intellectual property rights are valid and that Ultrahuman and RingConn have infringed ŌURA’s intellectual property rights and are subject to an injunction and restraining order. This decision validates the strength and validity of ŌURA’s innovation and our unwavering commitment to protecting our technology in the U.S. market.
An Ultrahuman spokesperson told me that Ultrahuman is suing Oura for patent infringement in India , and also linked to this Ultrahuman blog post arguing that Oura’s patent is too obvious to be enforced . Here’s an excerpt from the company’s official statement:
We applaud the International Trade Commission (ITC) for recognizing consumer protection exemptions and for not attempting to block access for U.S. consumers. Customers will be able to continue to purchase and import Ring AIR directly from us until October 21, 2025, and from retail stores thereafter. Furthermore, our software and chargers remain fully accessible after the ITC denied Oura’s request to restrict their use.
While we respectfully disagree with the Board’s decision in U.S. Patent No. 11,868,178, its validity is already under review by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) of the United States Patent and Trademark Office on grounds of obviousness.
The public filings have raised questions about Oura’s business practices and its use of litigation to limit competition.
I haven’t received a response from RingConn, but will update this article if one does.