Smart ring rivalry heats up: Ultrahuman sues Oura over patent claims

What you need to know

• Ultrahuman has sued Oura in India, accusing the Oura Ring 4 of ripping off its patented smart ring tech.
• The dispute centers on sleep tracking, circadian tools, and women’s health features that Ultrahuman says it pioneered.
• Unlike Oura’s subscription-heavy model, Ultrahuman pushes “no paywall” health data and modular add-ons called PowerPlugs.

Ultrahuman has filed a patent infringement case against Finnish rival Oura, claiming that the latest Oura Ring copies key features from its own Ultrahuman Ring Air.

The core of the dispute centers on the technology inside Oura's smart rings. The lawsuit, which was lodged in the Delhi High Court, says the Oura Ring 4 incorporates patented elements of its design, including how sensors, construction, and onboard processing come together to deliver insights on sleep, recovery, and circadian health.

The company argues that Oura has been riding on its innovations, especially in women’s health tracking, glucose monitoring, and non-paywalled data features without permission.

An Ultrahuman spokesperson pointed to Oura's broader business conduct as part of the reason for taking legal action. The company referenced past media reports that have criticized Oura's "backroom deals" and described a "pattern of indiscriminate assertion of patent infringement against any and all competitors."

The spokesperson said the company had “no choice but to defend its innovation,” pointing to previous reports criticizing Oura’s business practices and lawsuits.

Paywall vs. progress: The ideology behind a legal fight

The lawsuit highlights a philosophical split in the wearable market. Ultrahuman has built its brand on offering features without a mandatory subscription, a direct contrast to Oura's subscription model. The company argues that replicating innovations only to lock them behind a paywall is "anti-innovation and anti-consumer."

Ultrahuman has been pushing several industry-first features to differentiate itself. This includes the acquisition of viO Healthtech, which led to a smart ring feature for tracking ovulation with over 90% accuracy.

It also offers modular add-ons called PowerPlugs, which let users customize their ring with capabilities like AFib detection or specialized modes for shift workers.

The fight for truly ownable health insights

With this lawsuit, Ultrahuman says it isn't just defending a specific patent; it's positioning itself as a defender of open health data and Indian innovation on the global stage.

The case will be one to watch for anyone interested in the increasingly competitive and valuable wearable health market.