Oura Ultrahuman Patent Lawsuit 2026: A New Era of Smart Ring Competition

The smart ring market's landscape has shifted dramatically. Following a pivotal legal battle, the number of health-tracking rings available in the U.S. has notably shrunk since October 21, 2025. This change stems from a victory by Oura at the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), which effectively banned imports from major competitors Ultrahuman and RingConn.

The 178 Patent: Why Oura Ultrahuman Patent Lawsuit 2026 Matters

According to WIRED, the ITC ruled that Ultrahuman and RingConn infringed on Oura’s178 patent, which covers a specific hardware architecture—a layered arrangement housing internal electrical components. Critics argue this description is broad enough to encompass nearly any modern smart ring, yet it’s been a powerful weapon for Oura to maintain its market lead.

Oura isn’t just playing defense. The company recently filed complaints against Samsung regarding the Galaxy Ring, as well as Reebok and Zepp Health. While licensing agreements were reached with some, like RingConn later on, the legal pressure remains immense. Meanwhile, Oura is expanding its footprint by building a manufacturing facility in Texas to serve major clients like the U.S. Department of Defense.

Ultrahuman’s Software Pivot: Innovation Over Lawsuits

Facing hardware import bans, Ultrahuman is leaning heavily into software, which falls outside the ITC's jurisdiction. At this week’s CES, the company announced its 'Blood Vision' service would now be free for all users, checking 20 biomarkers without a subscription. This stands in stark contrast to Oura’s$6 monthly fee.

The company also introduced 'PowerPlugs,' an app store that lets users customize which metrics to track. It's a strategic move to address a growing problem: as rings track more data, battery life drops. By letting users choose their features, Ultrahuman aims to offer better efficiency than Oura, whose battery performance has reportedly slipped in the past year.