The smart ring war shows no signs of slowing down. Last Tuesday, Oura, the Finnish company that popularized the category, filed a new lawsuit against Ultrahuman, the Indian startup that had recently returned to the US market with its Ring Pro. This time, Oura alleges that the device infringes two of its patents -- one of them issued only two days before the filing -- and seeks not just a sales ban but also monetary damages. It is the latest battle in a dispute that has already included a US import ban, a forced product redesign, and a legal war that now extends to Samsung, RingConn, and Circular.
The dispute began in 2023 when Oura sued Ultrahuman for patent infringement related to the Ring Air, the company's first product. In August 2025, the US International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled in Oura's favor, issuing an import ban that effectively removed the Ring Air from American shelves. Ultrahuman, however, did not give up: it completely redesigned the product -- now called the Ring Pro -- and received a favorable ruling from US Customs in March, paving the way for a September market return.
But Oura wasn't done. In the latest action, filed in the Eastern District of Texas federal court, the company alleges that the Ring Pro violates two specific patents: D804,471, which covers the ornamental design of a wearable computing device, and 12,769,363, which covers the smart ring design with internal components such as a curved battery, circuit board, magnets, and sensors. The second patent was issued on October 20 -- just two days before the lawsuit was filed.
"Ultrahuman has a history of copying Oura's innovations, as demonstrated by the 2025 ITC ruling against the company," an Oura spokesperson told TechCrunch. "Ultrahuman introduced a redesigned ring but failed to address continued infringement of our patents, seeking instead to capitalize on our innovation and the market leadership we've built."
Ultrahuman's response was firm. Mohit Kumar, co-founder and CEO of the company, told TechCrunch: "Oura has now chosen to assert different patents, including one that was issued just two days before this lawsuit. We will address these claims through the appropriate legal process and will defend our position vigorously."
The case raises questions about Oura's strategy. The company has also sued Samsung, RingConn, and Circular for patent infringement related to smart rings. Some of these disputes ended in licensing agreements, with RingConn and Circular agreeing to pay royalties to Oura to continue selling their products in the US. The dispute with Samsung, however, remains ongoing.
The timing of the action is particularly interesting. Oura had announced a $2.2 billion IPO in September but subsequently shelved the offering citing "uncertainty" in the market. The company also launched new activity metrics on October 20, including features to track how workouts affect cardiovascular health. The decision to sue Ultrahuman could be seen as part of a broader strategy to consolidate its market position before a future public offering.
The smart ring market is growing rapidly. IDC expects global shipments to grow 12.8% this year to 4.9 million units and reach about 6.3 million by 2030. Ultrahuman, with $70 million in venture capital funding from Qualcomm Ventures' portfolio, has already achieved an annualized revenue run rate of approximately $150 million, according to Kumar. The Ring Pro, with a 15-day battery life and what it calls "Jade" -- the first real-time biointelligence AI -- represents the company's strategy to differentiate itself from Oura with more advanced hardware and integrated AI features.
The central question is: how far can a company protect its innovation through patents without stifling legitimate competition? Oura is clearly determined to use every legal tool available to maintain its dominant position in the US market. But Ultrahuman has shown that competitors can adapt and evolve -- redesigning products, obtaining customs approval, and expanding into new markets. The smart ring war is far from over.
Sources: TechCrunch, Engadget, Android Central
✓ Independent sources cross-checked and verified before publishing
