Oura prepares Apple Watch-like hypertension detection for its Smart Ring

(Bloomberg/Samantha Kelly) — Oura Health Oy, the Finnish smart ring maker, is the latest wearable company seeking to move into blood pressure monitoring.

On Monday, the startup said it plans to launch a Blood Pressure Profile study later this year, designed to detect early signs of hypertension — or elevated blood pressure — without displaying actual systolic or diastolic readings, as part of efforts to develop a future consumer feature. The study will track users’ data without a traditional cuff and provide information to help users better understand their potential risk levels.

Hypertension is estimated to affect about 1.3 billion adults worldwide, according to the World Health Organization, and is a major risk factor for stroke, heart attacks and kidney disease — though it can often be managed through lifestyle and medical interventions.

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“This study will be used to refine and validate a future feature for submission to the FDA for clearance,” Ricky Bloomfield, Oura’s chief medical officer, said in an interview, referring to the US Food and Drug Administration. “It will explore how Oura can identify early signs of hypertension by passively tracking key signals in the background— offering members a simple, seamless way to uncover hidden risks before they become serious.”

The announcement comes just a month after Apple Inc. released a similar hypertension detection system for the Apple Watch. Apple’s tool analyzes data from the device’s heart sensor over a 30-day period to see how blood vessels respond to heartbeats, notifying users if signs of chronic hypertension are detected.

Bloomfield said a ring-style design enables more accurate physiological signal capture, since it sits directly over arteries in the finger.

Oura said it received Institutional Review Board approval for the study, launching soon for US users within the Oura Labs section inside of the company’s app. It also plans to engage European regulators in the future.

The push into blood pressure tracking reflects a broader trend: Consumer hardware makers are increasingly adding sophisticated health monitoring tools to fitness bands and smartwatches, blurring the lines between gadgets and medical devices.

Whoop Inc., maker of screenless fitness bands, is currently pushing back on FDA demands to disable its own blood pressure tracking tool. The agency flagged the company’s Whoop MG tracker — short for medical grade — as a medical device that hasn’t received blood pressure certification.

Oura is also rolling out a new chronic stress feature that tracks how users respond to stress over time, looking at factors like sleep continuity, heart stress response, sleep micromotions and temperature regulation.

Meanwhile, the Oura app is adding new sections to make it easier to track vitals at a glance, including sleep, stress and cardiovascular trends. It’s also getting new Habits and Routines tabs that show how daily behaviors can have an impact on overall health. And for people who use the software to track their menstrual and fertility cycles, those insights are being expanded from a 1-month to a 12-month view.

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