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India, the world’s largest smartwatch market, is getting new smart rings by BoAt and Noise, similar to Oura but likely cheaper (techcrunch.com)

submitted 1 year ago by GadgeteerZA@beehaw.org to c/technology@beehaw.org

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Tech giants such as Apple, Samsung and Huawei have long focused on the wrist. It’s not the most comfortable option for everyone, and it can be challenging to maintain precise tracking through the wrist. Ensuring that your smartwatch fits snugly to obtain accurate data is crucial. A smart ring can be the great solution, however, provided you have the right size.

A finger has access to arteries, which a smartwatch could not reach, Mohit Kumar, founder and CEO of Ultrahuman, which counts iSeed, Steadview, Nexus Venture Partners and Blume among its key investors, told TechCrunch.

“If you go to any medical grade pulse oximetry devices, you put it on your finger. You don’t put it on your wrist. That’s primarily because this is a much better source of data,” he said.

Khatri of Noise agreed with Kumar and said the data available through a finger is way higher than a device can get from a smartwatch. Launching smart rings from BoAt and Noise is expected to bring competition to this nascent space.

The products are not yet launched, but the R&D and work commenced over a year back. Another positive sign is that it is unlikely that the data will sit behind a subscription pay wall (as Oura's latest ring has). I've been pretty impressed with my Oura ring, but it was very costly, and they did send me a replacement ring just after the warranty expired as the battery was suddenly giving out. So I may be keen to test one of these new Indian rings out when they are available. So I'll be watching this space closely.

More competition in the market, especially from India, is going to be good for consumers.

See https://techcrunch.com/2023/08/13/smart-rings-india/

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[–] autotldr@lemmings.world 2 points 1 year ago

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While wrist-worn wearables are still wildly popular in India, a pair of domestic manufacturers are banking on consumers who are meticulous about health and sleep tracking but are less interested in the form factor.

The primary reason for the continuous success of local companies is their focus on launching ultra-affordable, sub-$30 smartwatches and wireless earbuds that offer a look and feel similar to high-end devices.

“This move is likely to inspire other wearable brands to enter this category, leading to increased variety and choices for consumers,” Navkendar Singh, associate vice president at IDC India, told TechCrunch.

Kumar said the startup evaluated the option of going with an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) route but decided to set up its native production to have complete control over hardware and software.

In the future, BoAt envisions the possibility of introducing a “recharge model.” This approach would allow users of its smart ring to access services by paying a nominal fee at regular intervals.