Oura Ring 4: What We Want to See in the Next Gen

The smart ring market is no longer a one-horse race. For years, Oura dominated the finger-worn wearable space, but the landscape shifted dramatically in 2024 with the introduction of the Samsung Galaxy Ring. With competition heating up, the Oura Ring Generation 4 needs to be more than just a minor spec bump. Current users and potential buyers are looking for significant hardware changes, specifically regarding payment integration and proactive health metrics.

Here is a detailed look at the features, design changes, and capabilities we expect and want to see in the Oura Ring 4.

The Holy Grail: Contactless Payments

The most requested feature for the Oura Ring 4 is undoubtedly NFC (Near Field Communication) support for contactless payments. While smartwatches like the Apple Watch and Garmin Fenix have normalized paying with your wrist, smart rings have lagged behind in North America.

There is strong evidence that Oura is working on this. In May 2023, Oura acquired a digital identity signal platform called Proxy. This acquisition was not for health tracking. It was specifically for Proxy’s technology regarding digital keys and payment signals.

If integrated into the Gen 4 ring, this technology could allow users to:

  • Tap to Pay: Use the ring at coffee shops or transit terminals just like a credit card.
  • Digital Keys: Unlock smart locks or office doors without a fob or phone.
  • Transit Passes: seamlessly tap onto subways like the NYC MTA or London Underground.

Competitors like the McLEAR Ring Pay have offered this functionality in limited markets, but Oura has the user base to make it mainstream. If Oura skips NFC in the Gen 4 model, it will be a massive missed opportunity to differentiate itself from the Galaxy Ring.

Real-Time Stress Management vs. Passive Tracking

The snippet above highlights “better stress tracking,” but what does that actually mean? Currently, the Oura Ring Gen 3 introduced “Daytime Stress” capabilities, but the data is largely passive. You look at a graph at the end of the day to see when you were stressed.

For the Oura Ring 4, we want proactive stress management. This involves:

  1. Haptic Alerts: The ring should vibrate gently when it detects a spike in heart rate or electrodermal activity (EDA) that indicates acute stress.
  2. Immediate Intervention: Instead of just logging the data, the Oura app should immediately suggest a 2-minute breathing exercise or a walking break.
  3. cEDA Sensors: Integrating continuous electrodermal activity sensors (similar to the Fitbit Sense 2) would provide much higher fidelity data regarding the nervous system than heart rate variability (HRV) alone.

Hardware Design: Thinner, Lighter, and More Sizes

The current Oura Ring Gen 3 is an engineering marvel, but it is still thick. The “Horizon” model is perfectly round, yet the inner sensors still protrude into the finger. These three small bumps can be uncomfortable for some users, especially when gripping a barbell or steering wheel.

Expected Design Upgrades:

  • Flush Sensors: The interior of the ring should be completely smooth. Recent rumors suggest Oura is moving toward recessed sensors to improve comfort without sacrificing data accuracy.
  • Wider Size Range: Current sizing runs from 6 to 13. Leaks regarding the Oura Ring 4 certification suggest Oura plans to expand this range to include sizes 4 through 15. This is critical for inclusivity, accommodating both smaller hands and larger fingers.
  • Titanium Finish Options: While the Gen 3 comes in Gold, Stealth, and Silver, users are asking for more scratch-resistant coatings. A raw titanium or “ultra-matte” finish that hides micro-abrasions would be a welcome addition for active users.

Addressing the Subscription Model

One of the biggest friction points for Oura users is the $5.99 monthly subscription fee required to access detailed sleep and health data. When the Gen 3 launched, Oura moved many standard features behind this paywall.

With the Samsung Galaxy Ring launching without a mandatory subscription fee, Oura is under pressure. While it is unlikely Oura will drop the subscription entirely (as it is a major revenue stream), the Oura Ring 4 launch offers a chance to restructure it.

What we want to see:

  • Grandfathering: A loyalty program where upgrading users get a free year of membership.
  • Tiered Access: A free tier that offers more than just the three basic scores (Sleep, Readiness, Activity). Users should at least see their HRV and resting heart rate trends without paying extra.

Improved Activity Tracking

Oura has always marketed itself as a “sleep first” tracker, leaving heavy fitness tracking to Garmin or Apple. However, the Oura Ring 4 needs to close this gap.

The current “Automatic Activity Detection” is hit or miss. It often logs typing as “Restorative Time” or fails to catch a weightlifting session. The next generation needs improved accelerometer algorithms to distinguish between hand gestures and actual exercise.

Additionally, integration with third-party gym equipment (like Peloton or Concept2 rowers) via Bluetooth broadcast would make the ring a viable heart rate monitor during workouts. Currently, broadcasting heart rate from Oura is possible but drains the battery significantly. A more energy-efficient Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) protocol is needed here.

Battery Life and Charging

The Oura Gen 3 boasts up to 7 days of battery life, though real-world usage with SpO2 sensing enabled is closer to 4 or 5 days.

For the Gen 4, we expect a shift in the charging mechanism. The current proprietary puck is size-specific. If you lose your size 10 charger, you cannot use your friend’s size 8 charger.

  • Universal Charging: A redesigned charging cradle that fits all ring sizes would be a massive quality-of-life improvement.
  • Qi Compatibility: Ideally, the ring case would support standard Qi wireless charging, allowing you to drop it on the same pad you use for your iPhone or Android device.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Oura Ring 4 release date? While Oura has not confirmed a specific date, industry patterns and certification leaks suggest a launch in late 2024. The Gen 3 was released in November 2021, marking a three-year cycle that aligns with a late 2024 release.

Will the Oura Ring 4 work with Android? Yes. Unlike the Samsung Galaxy Ring, which is optimized for Samsung devices and works on Android (but not iOS), Oura has historically maintained full compatibility with both iOS and Android ecosystems. We expect this to continue.

How much will the Oura Ring 4 cost? We expect the price to remain consistent with the current generation, likely starting around $299 for the base model (Heritage) and going up to $349 or more for the Horizon model. However, inflation and new sensors could push the starting price to $349.

Will my Gen 3 charger work with the Gen 4? This is unlikely. If Oura changes the sensor array or the physical dimensions of the ring to make it thinner, the old size-specific chargers will likely not fit the new hardware.