Despite occasional and somewhat persistent rumors about an Apple Ring, the CEO of the best-known smart ring maker isn’t worried. In fact, he doesn’t think Apple will fall into that category at all.
In a recent interview with CNBC at the Web Summit in Lisbon, Portugal, Oura CEO Tom Hale predicted that Apple probably won’t enter the smart ring business, not because it doesn’t. is not profitable, but because it is difficult.
“I think they [Apple] “They’re not convinced of the value of having a ring and a watch together and they’re not interested in undermining the Apple Watch as a company,” Hale said. “I think they’re probably watching Samsung and us closely, but it’s difficult to manage this product category well.”
Hale could very well be right, but a smart ring doesn’t have to cannibalize Apple Watch sales. If priced and positioned right, the Apple Ring could complement the Apple Watch with new sensors or data collected when the watch is charging or not being worn.
Apple has been rumored to be considering the launch of a Smart Ring for years, but little solid information suggests an actual product is close to production. However, Apple has recently made health technology a top priority, including adding hearing protection and hearing aid features to AirPods Pro. There have also been persistent rumors that Apple plans to add more health features to AirPods, such as heart rate monitoring.
The Oura Ring 4 has a battery that lasts more than a week and tracks “more than 20 biometrics” throughout the day, including sleep, steps, and blood oxygen levels. Samsung also recently entered the smart ring market with its own Galaxy Ring for $400.
