What to expect from the Oura Ring 4

Oura has largely dominated the smart ring market since its inception, but new players have entered the field, muddying the waters somewhat. Tech giant Samsung recently released its own smart ring, the Galaxy Ring, offering serious competition for Oura. Adding to the pressure is the fact that it released the Oura Ring 3 three years ago, which, in the tech world, equates to a nearly geriatric product.

Since Oura’s most recent model is getting up there in years, it seems reasonable to expect a new version at some point in the near future. While we don’t know much yet, a few details have started to emerge.

Oura Ring 4 release date

A big question mark at this point

Unfortunately, Oura has been very tight-lipped about a new Oura Ring, so there’s no specific information on when it may come out. However, Android Authority spotted FCC certification listings for the Oura Ring 4, a sign that the company is actively working its way through certification processes. That could mean that Oura is getting close to releasing a new ring.

Additionally, if you look at the company’s past release schedule, though, there have been three years between each version, so it seems feasible that Oura could release the Oura Ring 4 this year still.

Oura Ring 4 pricing

Expect consistency with past Oura Rings

All versions of the Oura Ring, other than the very first launched via Kickstarter, have been priced at $299. As a result, we expect the Oura Ring 4 will at least be close to that. It’s important to keep in mind that the slightly lower price of the Oura Ring compared to the Galaxy Ring and Ultrahuman Air is partly due to the fact that you’ll need a subscription to take advantage of Oura’s features. We don’t expect Oura to change its subscription model, so there won’t be an impact on the purchase price from that.

Oura Ring 4 features

A few hints to updates and design

Oura

There haven’t been any significant leaks or details shared about the Oura Ring 4, but the aforementioned FCC listings do provide some vague hints as to what we can expect.

First, the listings mention two model numbers: OA11 and OA12. Oura currently makes two versions of its rings: the smooth and round Horizon and the Heritage, which features a plateau design. Based on the two model numbers, we’re guessing Oura will keep both of those versions (or something similar) with the Oura Ring 4.

There are a few photos in the certification listing that show a perfectly round design with no plateau. Also noteworthy in the photos is a smooth sensor array. The current Oura Ring uses protruding bumps for the sensors, so Oura seems to be going the way of smartwatch sensors with a smooth interior wall.

The certification listings also mention that testing is currently underway on sizes 7, 9, 13, and 15. Oura’s rings currently range from size 6 to 13, so it looks like Oura is expanding its sizing slightly. While the testing sizes don’t mention a size 6, it is possible that the small size will also be part of the range. As someone with very small fingers, I certainly hope this is the case.

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While the above details aren’t all that groundbreaking, there are two potential new tools that are more exciting. First, Oura filed a patent that shows it is aiming to address sensor inaccuracy due to differences in skin tone, as Wearable discovered. The sensors in smartwatches and smart rings use LED lights to penetrate the skin and measure various health metrics. However, as Oura points out, “the user’s skin tone may contribute to the signal strength of the received light signals.”

Different skin tones may absorb different levels of light, which then impacts the amount of light received at the photodetectors, thus providing inaccurate results for features like blood oxygen levels. The patent suggests that Oura plans on using a method of detecting skin tone and then factoring that information into the results of certain metrics to provide more accurate data. It is fantastic to see companies addressing differences in skin tone, so we hope that this feature does indeed make an appearance in the Oura Ring 4.

Finally, in a blog post in 2023, Oura announced that it acquired Proxy, a digital identity signal platform. That has led many to speculate that the next Oura Ring will offer contactless payment, much like Apple Pay and Garmin Pay. That would be a big convenience win for a smart ring, bringing it one step closer to meeting the capabilities of smartwatches and thus making them more practical for a wider range of users.