ultrahumanA Bengaluru-based healthtech startup known for its smart rings, is trying to revive its business in the US after getting approval for its Ring Pro, setting up a new battle with Ourawhich has strengthened its dominance in the meantime.
The latest approval, granted by US Customs and Border Protection, comes less than a month after that of the Ring Pro. global launch at the end of February and follows a October ruling by the U.S. International Trade Commission in favor of Oura that effectively restricted imports of Ultrahuman’s smart rings into the U.S. The restrictions cost Ultrahuman up to $50 million in lost sales as it was temporarily unable to import its existing Ring Air model, CEO Mohit Kumar said in an interview.
The United States remains the most critical market for smart rings, accounting for around 2.6 million units sold in 2025 (about 60% of the global total of 4.4 million units) and growing 59% year over year, according to IDC data shared with TechCrunch. The smart ring market has also consolidated rapidly, with Oura expanding its dominance in recent quarters as Ultrahuman’s share fell sharply during the period of import restrictions.
Ultrahuman’s U.S. market share rose from 11.5% in 2024 to 24.6% in the second quarter of 2025, before falling to single digits at the end of the year as restrictions took effect, said IDC research manager Jitesh Ubrani. During the same period, Oura’s share rose from 63.3% to 85%, capturing most of the ground lost to Ultrahuman.
The United States previously accounted for up to 50% of Ultrahuman’s revenue at its peak, although that share has since declined as the company expanded in Europe and Asia during the period of import restrictions, Kumar told TechCrunch. He downplayed the competitive impact, saying Ultrahuman’s absence gave rivals only a “three-month advantage” and that the company hopes to make up lost ground quickly.
Ultrahuman plans to accelerate its U.S. launch immediately, and Kumar says it could take five to six months to reach full scale as the company rebuilds its supply and distribution chain.
The Ring Pro’s redesigned unibody metal frame helped the company gain clearance in the US and will be critical to its return, with improvements, it says, including longer battery life and improved on-device processing.
Technology event
San Francisco, CA
|
October 13-15, 2026
Ultrahuman has opened pre-orders in the US for the Ring Pro and shipping will begin on May 15, according to the company. The device starts at $399, with pre-orders priced at $349 for the first 1,000 customers.
Kumar said the Ring Pro was already in development as part of a broader product update, but that it also helped address the patent dispute. “We believe the Ring Air is a model that does not break the law and we are fighting that in a US federal court,” he said, adding that the new design was aimed at resolving the issue more definitively.
India emerges as the next battleground
While Ultrahuman plans to step up its efforts in the US, rival Oura entered Ultrahuman’s home market, India, last week with the launch of your Ring 4setting the stage for broader rivalry in key markets.
Kumar was optimistic about the competition and said Ultrahuman remains focused on long-term growth in India even as new players enter the market. He added that greater competition could help expand knowledge in what remains a nascent category in the country.
Smart ring shipments in India decreased 30.6% year over year in 2025, even as Ultrahuman led the market with a 30.4% share, followed by Gabit with 18.3%, according to a recent IDC report. Average selling prices fell 8.7% to $160, highlighting both growing competition and pricing pressure.
IDC expects the smart ring market to continue growing at double-digit rates in the US and globally, although growth in India is likely to remain more moderate, Ubrani told TechCrunch. Oura’s international brand recognition could help it gain ground in the country, where early local competitors have already faded away, leaving room for established global players to move in, he added. Many early entrants in India had largely focused on repackaged hardware with limited differentiation and have since scaled back their efforts.
The United States represents about 45% of Ultrahuman’s roughly 700,000 daily active users worldwide, Kumar said, underscoring its importance to the company. The US user base also skews more female: Women make up about 73% to 74% of users there, compared to about 68% globally, compared to about 65% a year earlier.
Kumar also hinted at plans beyond smart rings, saying Ultrahuman is working on a new wearable device focused on a different biomarker, as the company looks to expand its product portfolio. Currently, Ultrahuman tracks a variety of biomarkers including heart rate, heart rate variability, skin temperature, sleep stages, movement, and blood oxygen levels.
