I used the brand new Oura Ring app. Here’s why you’ll want it

The Oura Ring 4 may be grabbing headlines, but behind it is a new version of the Oura app that is available regardless of which Oura Ring you own. Considering you have to pay $6 per month to see the vast majority of data collected by the smart ring and take advantage of its insights, is it worth it, and has the new design improved the app?

I’ve been using the new Oura Ring app for about 10 days now, at first connected to a third-generation Oura Ring, but over the last few days connected to the new Oura Ring 4. Here’s what to expect and whether it’s worth the subscription.

Recommended Videos

The Oura app’s new design

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Over the last couple of years, Oura Ring’s app has become more feature-packed and confusingly laid out as Oura added new collaborations, statistics, and Lab-based experimental programs. These were tacked on in places that made the most sense, but by the end, there were many different screens and menus to learn and navigate. It wasn’t a terrible experience, just a dense and time-consuming one.

Related

  • The Oura Ring 4 smart ring is here, and it looks superb

  • I tried the Google Pixel 9’s AI features. Here’s why you should use them

  • A new Oura Ring feature may help you eat better

Through the redesign, Oura intends to streamline the way we look at and examine data, cutting the tabs available from at least five to just three and introducing quick glance Circles at the top of the main screen to show key data that was previously only seen after scrolling down and through the app. Before I saw the redesign, I was concerned about any potential changes, as although the app was busy, it was still superior to most other smart ring companion apps.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

I needn’t have worried, as the redesign is a success. For the most part, the way it shows data and its overall style has not changed, and I don’t think that side of it required any kind of dramatic overhaul. Instead, the first thing you’ll notice is the Readiness, Sleep, and Activity scores are all shown in Circles on the main screen when you open the app.

The Activity Goal pane is directly under it, and scrolling down shows Daytime Stress, heart rate data, and a new Timeline. This tracks activities and sleep, plus it allows you to add tags for other aspects that may affect your stats, ranging from a late meal to a hangover. There’s also a More button to expand the available data on the main screen, which makes it look more like the old app, should you want that.

Three tabs to choose from

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Opening the app to the new screen layout makes it more informative and faster, and that’s a big win. At the bottom of the screen are now three tabs: Today, Vitals, and My Health. The Today screen is the one described above, and My Health contains Oura data points such as Resilience — which indicates your stress and recovery status — V02 Max, and Cardiovascular Age (which aren’t designed to be used every day). I actually use Resilience quite often as a way to gauge how I’m balancing sleep, exercise, and stress, and I find it useful. It’s good to see it prominently on the My Health page.

Vitals is an entirely new way of presenting the Oura Ring’s key primary data, and it’s excellent. It places all the most important metrics on a single screen and then indicates whether the scores align with your baselines and a healthy range. Each has a drop-down menu to show more granular data, which was previously shown on the main overview pages for Readiness, Sleep, and Activity. It’s neatly presented, very clear, and really useful. It’s my favorite part of the redesign, along with a helpful quick-access menu switcher at the bottom of the screen when you explore the data in each Circle.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Longtime Oura Ring wearers will note the apparent disappearance of the guided meditations and relaxation techniques that lived on one of the many former tabs. These can now be found when you press the menu option in the top left of the screen and select Explore. Under this same menu structure, you’ll find other features like the social Circles mode and Rest Mode, as well as access to reports and trend data. By shifting the Explore feature and others to this side menu, it has given more space for the important data points used most often, all without removing any functionality.

Is anything missing?

Quick access buttons Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The redesign is mostly positive, but there are still some issues. Upon launch, Oura said it would add automatic heart rate monitoring for 40 different activities, but this is not yet available for me, with the same old walking, running, and cycling options currently showing up. I asked Oura for confirmation on when the feature would arrive and was told it’s expected to launch on October 16, so it’ll be something I test for the Oura Ring 4’s review rather than comment on here. It’s also unfortunate that none of the app can be customized. For example, you can’t reorder the sequence in which Circles or boxes are shown based on your own preferences.

The Oura Advisor, which uses AI to give advice on improving your sleep and resilience, plus the new Meals scheduler, where you can upload photos of your meals, are hidden under the Oura Labs experimental feature list, so you must actively enable them. Some Labs features do not make it into the final version of the app, as shown recently with the removal of the Symptom Checker feature, so give them a try while you can. The more people use them, the more the features will improve, and the greater the chance they will become long-term additions.

Vitals drop-down data Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

It’s too early to say whether the new Oura Ring 4 has altered data accuracy. Areas I will be looking at before fully reviewing the smart ring include the amount of steps it tracks, which was usually much higher than a smartwatch, and if the new sensor array changes calorie burn, body temperature, and sleep stage tracking. I’ve found the Oura Ring usually represented a sensible middle ground compared to most other health and fitness trackers, allowing me to use the data to inform activity for the day and make changes where necessary.

Is the Oura app worth the money?

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The biggest hurdle to buying the Oura Ring over any other smart ring is the subscription. It’s the only big player to make it a prerequisite, and although $6 per month isn’t a huge amount, it will add up to a far higher cost of ownership than any other smart ring.

However, if the app is worth the money, that should help soften the financial blow. The redesign has greatly improved navigation and presentation, but promised new features are either still coming or experimental, showing Oura’s preference for taking its time with things hasn’t changed much.

I still love its speed and reliability, with syncing taking just seconds and your data available immediately afterward. And I can’t remember the last time it failed for any reason. Even the initial setup is simple and fuss-free. For reference, I use the iOS version of the Oura app. Through the redesign, the data I want to see most is presented clearly, and on the main page, so I only have to dig down and scroll if I want to see more. Out of all the main smart ring competitors, only Samsung Health and the Galaxy Ring get close to the neat presentation and ease of use of the Oura Ring’s app.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The RingConn Gen 2 does not have a subscription fee for its app, which is fast and well presented, but the data is messier and not always very informative, or you have to do a lot of personal interpretation or data collation before taking much away from it. I was less inclined to check the RingConn app in the morning than the Oura Ring app, as I knew it would be a lengthier and less informative endeavor.

Speed, simplicity, reliability, and an extensive feature list keep me coming back to the Oura Ring app. If you can afford it, it remains the best smart ring app experience, and now it’s further improved by the sensible redesign.

Editors’ Recommendations

  • I’ve worn the Oura Ring 4, and I’m conflicted about it

  • The Samsung Galaxy Ring is getting its first update. Here’s what’s new

  • I can’t wait to wear this new smart ring (but it’s not the Galaxy Ring)

  • I tried a $500 health tracking app. Here’s why it’s worth every penny

  • 4 reasons why I bought the Galaxy Ring (and 1 that almost stopped me)




Related posts

Latest posts

Nothing unveils the Phone 2a Plus with a glow-up back that shines in the dark

Nothing's latest phone glows in the dark, though tracking it down in stores might be a challenge.

Ancient Mayan city discovered via page 16 of Google search results

Who ever goes beyond page one of Google search results? Well, Luke Auld-Thomas did, and it led to the discovery of a lost city.

Watch Boston Dynamics’ Atlas robot happily working all by itself

Boston Dynamics' amazing Atlas robot looks more competent than ever, with a new video showing it performing tasks efficiently and autonomously.

Apple Announces Vision Pro Launching in Two More Countries Next Month

Apple's marketing chief Greg Joswiak today said the Vision Pro will be launching in South Korea and the United Arab

This amazing phone glows in the dark and was created with the help of fans

Made with the help of its fan base, the limited edition Nothing Phone 2a Plus Community Edition has a cool glow-in-the-dark rear panel.

My first week with the iPad mini (2024) was fantastic and frustrating

With the 2024 iPad mini, Apple is selling the promise of a pocketable powerhouse juiced up on AI. Yet, it still can't shed its inherent existential crises.

AMD CEO teases RDNA 4 release as gaming revenue drops by 69%

AMD CEO Lisa Su just put an end to all speculation about the release date of AMD's upcoming graphics cards, while also revealing more about their performance.

What everyone is getting wrong about the Mac mini’s hidden power button

Apple’s M4 Mac mini has a power button on its underside. That may seem like a weird design decision, but Apple thinks it makes perfect sense. Here’s why.

5 CPUs you should buy instead of the Core Ultra 9 285K

Intel's Core Ultra 9 285K is an impressive CPU, but there are several alternatives that are both faster and cheaper.

Massive OnePlus 13 leak just revealed everything about the phone

The official certifications for the OnePlus 13 have emerged, revealing little new information, but confirming most of the rumors about its specs.