Oura might be the biggest name in smart rings, but it's got competition at CES 2022

Movano smart ring in white, black, gold, and copper
(Image credit: Movano)

So far, Oura is the only company that's really established a fingerhold in the smart ring market, but at CES 2022 we saw a few ambitious competitors, including startup Movano, which plans to beat Oura on both price and features.

Smart rings are notoriously tricky to get right, as the Logbar Ring, Amazon Echo Loop, and Ringly proved. If none of those names sound familiar, it's because none of them quite struck the right balance of style, features, and price to earn a place on customers' hands. 

At CES, Movano showed off a smart ring that tracks all the same metrics as the third-generation Oura, including sleep, heart rate, heart rate variability, respiration, temperature, blood oxygen, steps, and calories – with plenty more features in the pipeline too.

Movano smart ring in silver

(Image credit: Movano)

Movano hasn't revealed how much the ring will cost, but the company told CNET that it would be cheaper than the Oura 3, which costs $299 (about £230 / AU$420). The company is currently awaiting FDA approval for its sensors, but assuming everything gets the green light, the ring is expected to go on sale later this year.

Clinical testing

It's not planning to stop there, though – Movano also wants to include blood glucose and blood pressure monitoring in a future iteration of the ring. Changes in blood pressure can be estimated using the same optical sensor used to track heart rate (which is the method used by watches like the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3), but blood glucose is much trickier. 

There's a lot of work currently underway to develop a smartwatch that can monitor changes in blood sugar without the need for finger prick tests. Researchers are currently investigating ways to measure blood glucose non-invasively using spectroscopy, which uses lasers to identify different chemicals, and the SugarBEAT monitor from UK company Nemuara Medical measures interstitial blood glucose by drawing molecules through the skin using a mild electrical current.

Both of these examples are a long way from being available in consumer smartwatches – let alone a device as small as a ring. Movano hasn't given a timeframe, but says it's currently conducting its own clinical trials, so we'll keep a close eye on its progress.

One thing it definitely seems to have nailed is the design, judging by its promotional images, which show rings in three designs and four tasteful metallic colors. Things have come a long way since 2020, when Amazon tried to cram Alexa into an oversized piece of jewelry

TOPICS
Cat Ellis
Homes Editor

Cat is TechRadar's Homes Editor specializing in kitchen appliances and smart home technology. She's been a tech journalist for 15 years and is an SCA-certified barista, so whether you want to invest in some smart lights or pick up a new espresso machine, she's the right person to help.

Read more
Circular Ring 2 in Black
Circular Ring 2 unveiled at CES – and it's the end of plastic sizing kits for smart rings
Oura Ring on TechRadar background
Best smart ring 2025: Oura Ring 4, Samsung Galaxy Ring, and more
Ultrahuman Rare ring platinum on finger
Think Oura and Samsung's smart rings look good? Ultrahuman just unveiled its Ultrahuman Rare 18K gold and platinum luxury smart rings at CES 2025
Circular smart ring
Circular's new smart ring is getting blood pressure and blood glucose monitoring before the Apple Watch
Circular Ring 2
The Circular Ring 2 solves a crucial smart ring problem, and it's available to pre-order now
Samsung Galaxy Ring prototype
Apple Ring: Has Apple canceled its smart ring project?
Latest in Fitness Trackers
Man in bed checking smart watch
I love my Garmin watch, but there's one health feature I've always wished it had
The Amazfit Helio smart ring pictured on a concrete surface.
Amazfit Helio Ring review: a cheaper Oura alternative if sleep is your top priority
Garmin Instinct 2X Solar watch on red background with white text reading "TechRadar lowest price"
The Garmin Instinct 2X Solar can run indefinitely on a single charge, and it's never been cheaper
The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active being worn in a park.
Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active review: Too many corners cut
The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro before a red candle
Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro review: One big upgrade that comes at a price
Fitbit Inspire 3 in pink on yellow background with TechRadar price cut sign
The Fitbit Inspire 3 is a great last-minute bargain at this stunning low price
Latest in News
Stability AI 3D Video
Stability AI’s new virtual camera turns any image into a cool 3D video and I’m blown away by how good it is
The Google Wallet app with a mode for kids shown on-screen.
Google Wallet’s new kid-friendly payment system is a win for parents
A man holds a smartphone iPhone screen showing various social media apps including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Threads, Instagram and X
A worrying Apple Password App vulnerability reportedlyleft users exposed for months
Google Pixel 9a
Google is delaying the Pixel 9a to fix a mystery “component quality issue”
The bottom left corner of an Android phone, showing the Phone, Messages, Google icons and Google Search bar
Google Messages remote delete will soon save you from texting embarrassment – and here's how it works
ExpressVPN mobile app and Aircove
ExpressVPN ‘reduces workforce’ for the second time in two years