I’ve been writing about technology for two decades and am routinely struck by how the sector swings from startling innovation to persistent repetitiveness. My areas of specialty are wearable tech, cameras, home entertainment and mobile technology.
There are plenty of health gadgets on the market right now, and more arriving all the time. One of the latest form factors is the smart ring, and the Finnish company Öura is the pre-eminent of these. I sat down to talk to the company’s CEO, Tom Hale, to ask him about fitness metrics and how he sees the impact of the just-released Galaxy Ring from Samsung.A smart ring has several advantages over a phone or a watch. For a start, it’s on your person 24 hours a day, quietly recording data.
The metric the company looks at is PWV, pulse wave velocity, which is basically the speed at which blood is going through your system. “If your system is young, flexible, and healthy, it expands and contracts, so your PWV should be lower. If it gets occluded or less flexible, your PWV will be higher. And we're able to look at the PWV for you versus people who are like you, same age, same background, and so on and make that assessment of your cardiovascular age.
Samsung has recently launched the Galaxy Ring. How does Hale feel about this, I wonder, noting that he really doesn’t look worried that a giant brand is invading his patch. “I think it's a huge validation for the category,” he says, “And I think it's telling that it's a smartphone vendor who's leading with this idea of getting into the ring space.
And while Samsung doesn’t charge a subscription for some of the features and metrics as Öura does , the Galaxy Ring costs more up front, selling for $399. As for that subscription charge, Hale says this: “The reality is that it's a very modest amount of money to pay for your health. And what we see in our retention rates and in our customer satisfaction metrics is that people get so much value out of this. They change their behavior. They drink less. They go to bed earlier.
Oura Ring Samsung Galaxy Ring Oura Ring Latest Cardiovascular Age Fitness
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Samsung Galaxy Ring vs. Oura Ring: Which smart ring is better for you?Smart rings are the newest type of wearable device, and Samsung is now in the game with the Galaxy Ring. Is it better than the Oura Ring? We found out.
Read more »
New Oura Ring 4 spotted as Samsung enters the market with its Galaxy RingTsveta, a passionate technology enthusiast and accomplished playwright, combines her love for mobile technologies and writing to explore and reveal the transformative power of tech.
Read more »
Oura Ring Plans Major New Feature Boost For UsersI’m a London-based freelance journalist who specializes in all aspects of technology including reviews, investigations, comment and news. My Audible original podcast 'The Squid Scam' came out in January 2023. I have also written for The Guardian, TechRadar, The Evening Standard, New Scientist and others.
Read more »
Oura Ring Gen3: The Best Sleep And Overall Health Tracker, For NowThe Oura Ring is useful, at least with a subscription, and it has so far defined its category. But it is due for a refresh, and could benefit from Samsung's competition.
Read more »
A new Oura Ring feature may help you eat betterThe Oura Ring may come with some great new features that can help you track meals and count calories. Here's what might be coming.
Read more »
Get an Oura Ring 3 for as low as $283 before Prime Day endsThe Oura Ring 3, wearable fitness tracking ring and verified Fitbit alternative, has a series of deals across its various colors as part of Prime Day deals.
Read more »