Recently, there have been constant rumors in the industry about whether Apple will enter the smart ring market. Oura CEO Tom Hale responded to the rumor in an interview with CNBC at the Lisbon Network Summit. As a pioneer in the field of smart rings, Oura's views are worth paying attention to, because this not only affects Apple's future product strategy, but also affects the competitive landscape of the entire wearable device market. This article will analyze in detail the response of Oura CEO to Apple's forecast for entering the smart ring market and the market logic behind it.
Tom Hale, CEO of smart ring maker Oura, said in an interview with CNBC at the Lisbon Network Summit in Portugal that despite the constant market rumors, Apple is unlikely to enter the field of smart rings. Previously, with Samsung launching its first smart ring this year, market analysts predicted that Apple may launch a similar product in 2026. However, as a leader in the smart ring market that has been deeply involved in the smart ring market since 2013, Oura is negative about this prediction.
"Apple doesn't agree with the value proposition of combining rings with watch business, nor do they make any decisions that could undermine the Apple Watch business," Hale explained. While Apple may be closely following the trends of Samsung and Oura, he added. , but smart rings are a very challenging product category.
Compared with smart watches, smart rings can provide users with all-weather health, activity and sleep monitoring with their advantages such as lightness and long-lasting battery life. However, under the leadership of Apple CEO Tim Cook, the company has always focused its health technology strategy on Apple Watch and its supporting services.
It is worth noting that in the context of increasingly fierce competition in the wearable device market, Oura has launched a new generation of Oura Ring4 products, continuing to consolidate its market position in the field of smart rings.
Oura CEO’s perspective provides a new perspective for us to understand Apple’s strategic decisions. Apple's planning and market positioning for its own product line are clearly visible. It will continue to focus on the Apple Watch ecosystem and is unlikely to enter the field of smart rings in the short term. This is both an opportunity and a challenge for other smart ring manufacturers. They need to seize market opportunities and continue to improve product competitiveness.