Oura unveils its Ring 5 with a thinner, lighter design starting at $399

Oura has officially introduced the fifth iteration of its acclaimed smart ring, the Ring 5, priced starting at $399. This new model, touted as the world's smallest smart ring, comes just 18 months after the debut of the Ring 4 and seven months following the Ring 4 Ceramic. Remarkably, the Ring 5 is 40% smaller than its predecessor, boasting improved sensing capabilities and a longer battery life. Accompanying the release of the Ring 5 are significant software updates, which include features like blood pressure monitoring, live activity tracking, and on-demand health care. These updates will also be available for previous models, starting with the Oura Ring Gen 3. Pre-orders for the new ring are now open, with shipments set to begin on June 4. The Ring 5 is offered in sizes 6 to 13 and comes in six stylish finishes: a revamped Gold, a new Deep Rose, Silver, Brushed Silver, Black, and Stealth. The Black and Silver versions are priced at $399, while the other colors retail for $499, compared to the starting price of $349 for the Ring 4. Maz Brumand, Oura's VP of Product, shared insights with TechCrunch about the design changes. The Ring 5 has been made approximately two millimeters narrower and 30% thinner in response to user feedback requesting a more compact and comfortable fit. Oura achieved this new design by overhauling the ring's mechanical, electrical, optical, battery, and sensing components. This innovative approach aims to attract a wider audience, particularly those who previously found smart rings too cumbersome. The new model is crafted to resemble any ordinary ring, making it more appealing to potential users. As competition in the smart ring market intensifies—especially with newcomers like RingConn and Ultrahuman—Oura's swift product rollout reflects the need to stay ahead. The Ring 5 offers enhanced battery longevity, lasting between six to nine days, compared to five to eight days for the Ring 4. Oura has also refined its sensors to improve skin contact and added more powerful LEDs to enhance accuracy across diverse finger sizes and skin tones. Among the new features is 'Health Radar,' which monitors key biometrics, including blood pressure and nighttime breathing. This functionality aims to identify patterns that may indicate cardiovascular issues, alerting users when their readings suggest rising blood pressure. The app will allow users to log actual blood pressure readings from cuffs for a comprehensive health overview. In a move to offer more than just insights, Oura is collaborating with Counsel Health to integrate on-demand health care directly into the app. Members will have access to personalized medical advice and consultations with licensed physicians in the U.S. Access to this service will incur an additional fee beyond the standard $5.99 monthly subscription, though specific pricing details are yet to be released. To enhance user experience, Oura is introducing live activity tracking, enabling users to monitor key metrics such as pace and distance in real time during workouts. The Automatic Activity Detection feature has also been improved to more accurately capture low-motion exercises, like pilates. Additionally, members can now connect third-party heart rate monitors for real-time heart rate data. In an exciting new venture, Oura is launching a Brain Health Study aimed at correlating short in-app tasks with long-term physiological trends. This initiative seeks to explore how daily habits and recovery efforts may influence mental acuity and overall brain health.