Smart Rings Too Difficult for Apple to Make, Says Oura CEO Hopefully
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Tom Hale, CEO of the Oura Ring company, says making a smart ring is really hard (it must be the math involved in the project), and he doesn’t believe Apple will make one. There is no word on whether Hale had his fingers crossed when he made the statement.
Hale’s comments came in an interview with CNBC, explaining why he believes that, despite several rumors to the contrary, Apple will not enter the smart ring market.
A smart ring is a wearable device containing sensors that can provide information to the user about things like their health, activity, and sleep. The lightweight wearables have a long battery life, which users say makes them perfect for all-day wear and sleeping. Many smartwatch users, this reporter included, don’t wear their smartwatch while sleeping (it just bugs me, okay?)
Over the last few years, we’ve seen several rumors about Apple’s potential smart ring plans. While we saw a claim earlier this year that Apple had dropped the project, it was only a few hours after that another report claimed that Apple would have a smart ring ready for a 2026 release.
Hale also says Apple may be worried that an Apple Ring could cannibalize business from its already well-established Apple Watch smartwatch.
I think they [Apple] are unconvinced about the value of having a ring and a watch together and they’re not interested in undercutting the Apple Watch as a business. I think they’re probably keeping a close eye on Samsung and a close eye on us, but it’s hard to do this product category right.Tom Hale, Oura Ring CEO
It’s worth remembering that mobile phone makers like Palm made similar comments when it was first rumored that Apple would enter the smartphone business with its first iPhone.
Palm chief executive Ed Colligan said in 2006, “PC guys are not going to just figure this out. They’re not going to just walk in.”
As you may recall, Apple unveiled the iPhone in 2007, Colligan left Palm in 2009, and HP acquired Palm in 2010 (I will admit that I still have a Palm device in a drawer somewhere around here).
Hale seems to be assuming Apple hasn’t done any real work on its possible smart ring contender. However, Apple has applied for or been granted several smart ring-related patents over the last several years.
While Apple has been quietly working on a smart ring for years, the project may not produce a market-ready wearable. Apple has worked on several projects that haven’t made it to release. A minor one that comes to mind is Apple’s announced but never-released AirPower charging pad. One major product Apple worked on for several years was the Apple Car, which was canceled earlier this year — and those are just the ones we’ve heard about.
Hale also seems to think the Apple Ring would be a competitor to the Apple Watch, ensuring Apple won’t release a smart ring. However, many of the company’s devices work together in the Apple ecosystem, so why couldn’t a smart ring and the Apple Watch work hand in hand?
