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Oura Files To Go Public As Smart Ring Competition Intensifies

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

September 7, 2026

Oura is moving ahead with plans to go public as competition in the smart ring market intensifies. On Sept. 3, the company formally filed to go public, following a period of rapid growth and new competition from startups and major technology companies.

The Finnish company has built a leading position in a category it helped define. Revenue nearly doubled to $1.21 billion for the nine months ended June 30, while Oura said it sold 3.6 million rings over the past year and now has roughly 5 million paid members. Its IPO filing follows the recent launch of the Oura Ring 5, the company’s slimmest and lightest model to date.

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A Strong Leader Faces A More Crowded Field

Oura has been the category’s clear front-runner for years, but that lead is becoming harder to defend. Rivals are approaching the market from different angles, betting that new features will help them win consumers.

French startup Circular announced this week that its next ring will support tap-to-pay functionality. Chinese company RingConn introduced a model this year with haptic vibrations, while Indian startup Ultrahuman raised $70 million with backing from Qualcomm’s venture arm.

Ultrahuman is pursuing a broader vision for the category, aiming to build a ring that can run software on-device and eventually support applications ranging from AI experiences to games.

From Health Tracker To Wrist-Free Computer

Competition is no longer limited to sleep scores or more detailed recovery insights. Smart ring makers are increasingly adding capabilities that were once associated with smartphones and smartwatches.

Some devices now include screens, such as the Pebble Halo, while others, including the Dreame Ring, promise touchpad controls. As these features expand, smart rings are taking on a more complex identity as health trackers, communications devices and miniature computing platforms.

That evolution is notable because smart rings initially attracted users partly by being less intrusive than watches and phones. They offered health monitoring without the constant presence of a display, but current product roadmaps could push the category in a different direction.

Here is a look at the most notable challengers seeking a share of Oura’s market.

Ultrahuman

Earlier this year, Ultrahuman unveiled its third-generation device, the $479 Ring Pro, which is expected to begin shipping in the US in mid-September. Its American business was disrupted in October 2025 after the US International Trade Commission ruled in Oura’s favor in a patent dispute, blocking new ring imports.

In response, Ultrahuman redesigned the Ring Pro’s form factor to address Oura’s patent claims. The new model includes a heart-rate sensing system intended to improve signal quality during sleep, along with a dual-core processor designed to improve data accuracy and increase on-device processing.

Ultrahuman also appears focused on expanding beyond health and sleep tracking toward a more software-driven product category.

Circular

Circular’s upcoming Ring 3 series, which includes Pro and Slim versions, is expected to launch early next year. Both rings will feature an integrated NFC chip for contactless payments and on-finger vibrations for silent alarms, reminders, vital alerts and other notifications.

The Ring 3 Pro will also have a thinner design than its predecessor and add FDA-cleared ECG for AFib detection, blood pressure trend tracking, glucose tracking, advanced sleep analysis and broader biometric monitoring. Pricing has not yet been disclosed.

RingConn

RingConn’s Gen 3 launched in May and starts at $349. It offers vascular health insights that analyze changes in vascular strain over time after calibration with externally measured blood pressure values.

Other features include heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, sleep, activity and stress tracking. Vibration alerts can notify users about health changes, sedentary periods and low battery levels.

Unlike Circular, which is using haptics to make the ring more interactive, RingConn is positioning vibration primarily as a health notification tool.

Samsung

Samsung became the first major technology company to enter the smart ring market in 2024 with the Galaxy Ring, which sells for $399. For consumers already invested in Samsung’s broader device ecosystem, it remains one of the most compelling options.

Still, the Galaxy Ring is relatively conservative on advanced health features compared with some rivals. It does not offer sleep apnea detection, available on Oura, RingConn and Ultrahuman, or AFib detection, available on Circular and RingConn devices.

Dreame

Dreame, a newer entrant, introduced a ring earlier this year with haptic alerts for alarms, calls, messages and other notifications. A small touchpad also allows users to skip music or take photos on their phones.

The company says the device will track heart rate, blood oxygen, heart rate variability and sleep. Pricing and availability have not yet been announced.

The Bigger Question For The Category

Smart rings are no longer a niche market dominated by health-tracking startups. Competition is increasingly centered on what the category should become: a discreet wellness device or a multifunctional platform competing more directly with smartphones and wearables.

Oura still has the strongest brand and a meaningful lead, but rivals are adding payments, haptics, touch controls, on-device software and displays. As those capabilities expand, competition is shifting from who can measure the body best to who can define the next generation of personal computing.

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Europe’s Deadly Summer Heat Exposed The Cost Of A Warming Continent

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

October 23, 2026

Europe experienced its deadliest summer for heat-related deaths on record in 2026, with an estimated 24,400 excess deaths linked to extreme temperatures across 30 countries. Researchers estimate that human-induced climate change was responsible for around 32,000 of the deaths attributed to heat in the study’s broader analysis, accounting for 65% of the total.

The findings highlight the growing public-health consequences of global warming, largely driven by fossil fuel use, as extreme heat becomes more frequent and severe.

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A Summer Of Dangerous Heat

Between June and August, heatwaves pushed temperatures in Western Europe to an average of 2.9°C above the 1991–2020 norm, with some days reaching 12°C above average. Nearly a third of estimated heat-related deaths occurred during a particularly intense heatwave between 17 June and 1 July.

“These numbers are a stark reminder that our hotter, more extreme summers are having an increasingly severe impact on public health,” said Dr Clair Barnes, a researcher at Imperial College London and co-author of the study.

The estimated toll exceeded previous peaks of around 29,000 deaths in summer 2022 and 28,000 in 2003 across the region studied.

How Researchers Estimated The Toll

Researchers modelled the relationship between temperature and mortality across 854 urban areas in the EU, UK, Norway and Switzerland, covering around 40% of the population in the 30 countries studied.

The analysis incorporated temperature records, age, socioeconomic conditions, environmental factors and access to healthcare. By comparing actual temperatures with those expected without human-induced warming, the team estimated the additional deaths attributable to climate change.

Final official mortality figures for summer 2026 are not yet available in many countries, and heat-related deaths are often underreported because their effects can be difficult to identify directly.

Older People Face The Greatest Risk

People aged 85 and over accounted for roughly half of the estimated deaths. However, the impact extended across age groups, with around 800 excess deaths among adults aged 20–44 and approximately 6,000 among people under 65.

Southern Europe experienced the highest mortality burden, reflecting hotter temperatures and other vulnerabilities, including air pollution, limited green space and unequal access to healthcare and heat-alert systems.

Italy, France And Spain Record Highest Toll

Italy recorded an estimated 13,303 heat-related excess deaths, followed by France with 7,268 and Spain with 6,824. Germany recorded around 6,340, while the UK saw an estimated 4,354 deaths.

In the UK, the heat also placed significant pressure on healthcare services. Andrew Hartle, Professor of Practice of Anaesthesia at Imperial College Healthcare, said demand during the summer resembled that of a severe winter virus season.

Cities Urged To Strengthen Heat Protection

Researchers say cities can reduce the risks through climate shelters, external shading and building retrofits, alongside measures to help residents avoid exposure during the hottest hours. Checking on vulnerable people, staying hydrated and following heat alerts are also important.

The researchers stress that adaptation must go hand in hand with reducing fossil fuel use to limit further warming. The findings underline that extreme heat is already a major public-health threat across Europe, with thousands of lives at risk each summer.