For those who’ve been following final yr’s sensible ring drama, you might have seen that the variety of health-tracking rings you should buy has shrunk since October 21, 2025.
As we reported in August, the US Worldwide Commerce Fee dominated in favor of Oura in a patent case by which Oura alleged that its opponents RingConn and Ultrahuman had infringed on the corporate’s patent for a wise ring that tracks well being and health stats. Oura’s victory subsequently led to RingConn and Ultrahuman being banned from importing new rings into the US.
The lawsuit was dangerous information for each Oura opponents, and particularly Ultrahuman, which had deliberate to increase its US-based manufacturing facility to fulfill rising market demand (and ostensibly to additionally get across the new US tariffs). Ultrahuman is distinguished from Oura in that its sensible ring doesn’t have a subscription; Oura customers pay $6 per 30 days to make use of its rings.
I caught up briefly with Ultrahuman’s chief enterprise officer, Bhuvan Srinivasan, to make clear the corporate’s subsequent steps to deal with the US market, and discover out extra in regards to the newest sensible ring squabbles.
Why Have been the Rings Banned?
The ITC dominated that RingConn and Ultrahuman had infringed on the 178 patent, which protects a particular ring {hardware} design—for instance, if the ring has a layered association with inside and exterior elements housing inside electrical elements.
For those who suppose this can be a surprisingly broad description that may cowl … nicely, just about any sensible ring, or a variety of digital units normally, you’re appropriate. Over the previous few years, many sensible ring producers have been embroiled in authorized disputes over this patent.
This has panned out in a number of alternative ways. In 2024, Oura introduced that it had reached a multi-year licensing settlement with Round, the French sensible ring producer, that will permit Round to proceed promoting new rings within the US. (This transfer seems to be rather less beneficiant when you think about that my two-week testing interval of the Round Ring 2 was plagued with server and connection points.)
Additionally in 2024, Samsung tried to preemptively sue Oura towards future patent infringement claims in a case which a decide dismissed. Samsung’s considerations weren’t unwarranted. In late 2025, Oura then filed one other grievance towards Samsung (the Galaxy Ring), Reebok (the Reebok sensible ring), Zepp Well being (Amazfit ring), and Nexxbase (the Luna Ring). Oura then reached a licensing settlement with RingConn and one other competitor, Omate, that will permit the corporate to proceed promoting rings in the US.