22 hours Ago By Siôn Geschwindt
French upstart Circular has unveiled a fresh challenge to Oura — the current lord of the smart rings. Circular has just released a new smart ring that offers two key advantages over Oura, which currently dominates the global market for the trendy wearables, which monitor your health metrics and display the info on an app. Dubbed the Circular Ring 2, it’s a quantum leap forward from its predecessor, the Circular Slim, which The Verge described as a product that held “a lot of promise” but executed on “almost none of it.
” Firstly, Circular has swapped the plastic shell in the old ring for titanium which is available in four finishes: black, silver, gold, and rose gold. The ring’s sensors have been given a complete overhaul, resulting in more accurate readings, the company said. How Startup Amsterdam Boosts Innovation and Growth at TNW Conference Discover how the City of Amsterdam partnered with TNW to amplify its startup ecosystem, attract global talent, and foster innovation that drives economic impact.
Circular has also scrapped the USB charger for a wireless charging dock. The Ring 2’s battery life lasts up to an impressive eight days, one more day than the Oura Ring. However, the main innovation — a first for smart rings — is the addition of an FDA-cleared atrial fibrillation (AFib) sensor that reads the electrical activity of your heart, including the rate and rhythm.
As a result, Circular goes on to call its new ring a “ discreet heart health companion.” It’s a bit cheesy, but the AFib sensor could provide a warning of an incoming stroke or heart attack — so the tagline has some substance . Circular has also introduced a potentially game-changing digital sizing process.
Instead of having to purchase a physical sizing kit prior to buying a smart ring, Circular allows you to measure your finger directly from your phone. “This isn’t just a wearable,” said Amaury Kosman, Circular’s co-founder and CEO. “It’s a statement piece that empowers our users to take control of their wellness without compromising on style.
” While the Ring 2 is a complete upgrade, the company has done away with a haptic motor that served as a vibrating alarm clock in the first iteration. The Circular Ring 2 is expected to launch via a crowd-funding campaign in mid-to-late January before shipping in March with a starting price of $380. That’s a bit pricier than the Oura Ring 4 ($349).
However, unlike Oura’s, the Circular ring is available subscription-free. While Circular’s new smart ring sounds great on paper, it remains to be seen whether it can pull it off and produce reliable devices at scale. If it does prove a success, that won’t necessarily be a bad thing for Oura though.
The Finnish company receives a royalty fee for all Circular rings sold in the US, based on a multi-year patent infringement agreement signed last year. Ouch..
