Ultrahuman, a Bengaluru-based health-tech startup known for its smart rings, is aiming to revive its U.S. business after gaining approval for its Ring Pro, entering a renewed competition with Oura, which had strengthened its dominance in the meantime.
The approval from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection comes shortly after the Ring Pro’s global launch in late February, following an October ruling by the U.S. International Trade Commission favoring Oura, which curtailed Ultrahuman’s smart ring imports to the U.S. This restriction cost Ultrahuman up to $50 million in missed sales, as it was temporarily unable to import its Ring Air model, according to CEO Mohit Kumar.
The U.S. remains the primary market for smart rings, accounting for about 2.6 million units sold in 2025 – about 60% of the global tally of 4.4 million units – growing 59% year-over-year, based on IDC data shared with TechCrunch. The smart ring market has consolidated rapidly, with Oura expanding its dominance as Ultrahuman’s share fell during the import restrictions.
Ultrahuman’s U.S. market share rose from 11.5% in 2024 to 24.6% by Q2 2025, before dropping to low single digits by year’s end, IDC research manager Jitesh Ubrani said. Over the same period, Oura’s share increased from 63.3% to 85%, capturing most of the ground lost by Ultrahuman.
The U.S. previously contributed up to 50% of Ultrahuman’s revenue at its peak, but that share has declined as the company expanded in Europe and Asia during the import restrictions, Kumar told TechCrunch. He minimized the competitive impact, claiming Ultrahuman’s absence gave rivals only a “three-month advantage,” and expects to regain lost ground soon.
Ultrahuman plans an immediate U.S. rollout, with Kumar predicting it could take five to six months to reach full scale as the company rebuilds its supply chain and distribution.
The Ring Pro’s redesigned unibody metal structure aided in securing U.S. clearance and will be central to their comeback, offering improvements like longer battery life and enhanced on-device processing.
Ultrahuman has opened U.S. pre-orders for the Ring Pro, with shipping set to start on May 15. The device is priced at $399, with early pre-orders set at $349 for the first 1,000 customers.
Kumar mentioned the Ring Pro was in development as part of a broader product upgrade, helping to address the patent dispute. “We believe the Ring Air is a non-infringing model, and we are contesting that in U.S. federal court,” Kumar said, adding the new design aimed to resolve the issue more definitively.
India emerges as the next battleground
Ultrahuman plans to intensify efforts in the U.S., while rival Oura entered Ultrahuman’s home market, India, last week with the launch of its Ring 4, setting the stage for broader rivalry across key areas.
Kumar is optimistic about the competition, saying Ultrahuman is focused on long-term growth in India even with new players entering. Increased competition might help expand awareness in the still nascent category in the country.
Smart ring shipments in India declined 30.6% year-over-year in 2025, though Ultrahuman led the market with a 30.4% share, followed by Gabit at 18.3%, according to an IDC report. Average selling prices dropped 8.7% to $160, indicating growing competition and pricing pressures.
IDC expects the smart ring market to grow at a double-digit pace in the U.S. and globally, though growth in India might be more subdued, Ubrani told TechCrunch. Oura’s brand recognition could help it gain traction in India, where early local competitors have faded, leaving room for established global players, he added. Many early entrants in India focused on repackaged hardware with little differentiation and have since scaled back.
The U.S. accounts for around 45% of Ultrahuman’s 700,000 daily active users globally, Kumar said, highlighting its importance. The U.S. user base is more female, with women making up 73–74% of users there, compared to about 68% globally, up from around 65% a year ago.
Kumar also hinted at plans beyond smart rings, revealing Ultrahuman is working on a new wearable device focused on a different biomarker as the company looks to expand its product portfolio. Ultrahuman currently tracks various biomarkers, including heart rate, heart rate variability, skin temperature, sleep stages, movement, and blood oxygen levels.