News

ŌURA Launches Enhanced Oura Ring 4 with New Sensing Technology and Redesigned Health App

• By John K. Waters
• 11/13/2024

Finnish health technology company ŌURA has announced the release of the latest version of its health tracking device, Oura Ring 4. This release of the popular wearable comes with new Smart Sensing technology aimed at setting new standards for health data accuracy, comfort, and personalization, the company says. Paired with a redesigned Oura App, the Oura Ring 4 promises to offer a more refined, holistic approach to personal health.

The Oura Ring 4 introduces Smart Sensing, an adaptive technology powered by an advanced algorithm, capable of dynamically adjusting to the user's finger for enhanced data fidelity. This iteration doubles the number of signal pathways, reaching 18, resulting in greater accuracy in tracking biometrics like blood oxygen and heart rate. These improvements reflect Oura’s commitment to evolving health wearables for real-world, diverse user needs, said Holly Shelton, ŌURA’s Chief Product Officer, in a statement.

"We designed Oura Ring 4 to be life-proof," Shelton said. "It’s easy to create technology that works under optimal conditions, but that doesn’t reflect real life."

ŌURA's latest external research study, conducted in August 2024, underscores the Smart Sensing feature's capabilities. The study reported a 120% improvement in blood oxygen signal quality, a 15% increase in breathing disturbance index accuracy, and a notable reduction in heart rate data gaps, solidifying Oura Ring 4's credentials as the most accurate version to date.

Release with the new ring is ŌURA's overhauled companion app. This version emphasizes intuitive navigation and long-term health tracking across such categories as stress resilience, women’s health, and cardiovascular age. There's a simplified interface with three tabs: "Today," "Vitals," and "My Health," each designed to offer targeted health insights, from daily sleep and stress levels to longer-term fitness trends.

"We regularly engage with Oura Members to understand how we can improve the overall Oura experience," Shelton said, "and we heard that, with all the new features and capabilities that we’ve introduced in the last 12 months, it had become harder to navigate the Oura App. With this redesign, the Oura App connects the dots to help Oura Members understand how their habits and behaviors today—like aerobic activity and sleep hygiene—impact their health as they age, and also helps them understand how they can make changes that will pay off later in life."

The company is recognizing demographic shifts expanding to a largely female user base. Consequently, this release comes with enhanced women’s health features, including a Fertile Window function for tracking ovulation patterns. Additionally, Android users will now have access to Oura Labs, an experimental feature hub that includes tools like Symptom Radar for tracking wellness patterns.

"Oura Ring is designed to be a personal health companion, giving our members a holistic view of their health by pairing personal data with meaningful, actionable insights to facilitate long-term changes," said ŌURA CEO Tom Hale, in a statement. "The next-generation Oura Ring 4, reimagined Oura App, and the development of the Smart Sensing platform represent significant steps forward for wearables across accuracy, comfort, personalization, and design. We’re committed to continuing our relentless pace of innovation, delivering exceptional value to Oura Members."

Available for pre-order in 12 sizes and six color finishes, the Oura Ring 4 is now available in major retail outlets, including Amazon, Best Buy, and Target.