Smart ring options in the U.S. are about to get a lot smaller

The smart ring market in the US just got leaner. Today, Oura, maker of the Oura Ring, won a decisive legal battle that blocks two of its biggest rivals, Ultrahuman and RingConn, from selling their devices stateside. The International Trade Commission (ITC) found both companies infringed on Oura’s patents and hit them with exclusion and cease-and-desist orders.

Oura already leads the US smart ring market by a wide margin. The company has shipped more than 2.5 million devices globally and remains the most recognizable brand in the category. Ultrahuman and RingConn have recently offered some competition, appealing to buyers with lower prices and different hardware designs. We even dubbed the RingConn Gen Air 2 the best budget smart ring available and a worthwhile challenge to the Oura Ring. With the ITC ruling, the market’s variety disappears overnight.

With Ultrahuman and RingConn sidelined, US buyers now have even fewer options. Samsung’s recently launched Galaxy Ring adds weight to the category, but Oura’s victory means smaller startups will face an uphill battle trying to carve out space in the US. Patent disputes are nothing new in consumer tech, but they carry real consequences. For shoppers, it means fewer choices, less price competition, and potentially slower innovation. For Oura, it’s a chance to hold onto its dominant position while Samsung and others try to catch up.

The ITC ruling clears the field a bit for Oura in the US. Shoppers interested in a smart ring will find fewer brands on the market, at least for the immediate future. For consumers who value competition and variety, that’s a loss. For Oura, it’s a decisive win that strengthens its grip on the space it helped create.