Good rings are one of many fastest-growing wearable classes at the moment. However based mostly on info Ultrahuman shared with me, most of its prospects are iPhone house owners. As a author for an Android web site, I used to be curious why — and what meaning for Android-only good rings just like the Galaxy Ring.
It is uncommon for tech firms to share their Android/iOS splits. However throughout an Ultrahuman manufacturing facility tour once I obtained to make a wise ring by hand, the Ultrahuman execs shared a few shocking factoids about their good ring enterprise.
First, the Ultrahuman Ring Air has blown up in recognition. Its enterprise has grown by 15 occasions within the final 18 months, and its share of complete good ring gross sales grew from 12% in 2023 to 35% in 2024, in line with IDC stats. The Oura Ring nonetheless dominates greater than half of world gross sales, however the sub-free Ring Air has achieved effectively.
Apparently, Ultrahuman has feminine prospects to thank for this surge. In 2023, 75% of its prospects recognized as male within the app; now, 60% of its customers are feminine.
On the similar time, Ultrahuman confirmed that 75–80% of Ultrahuman’s prospects use the iOS app, and that hasn’t modified a lot during the last couple of years. Whereas its European and Asian gross sales might skew Android, as quickly because the U.S. turned the Ring Air’s largest market, iOS turned the overwhelming focus.
Whereas I haven’t got stats for different firms, this Cognitive Market Analysis report consists of charts exhibiting {that a} majority of good ring house owners use Android worldwide, however that a minimum of 40% of good ring gross sales are available North America.
And once more, about 75–80% of North American good ring house owners use iOS, though almost half of North American telephones use Android.
Why many Android customers have not hopped on the good ring practice but
I requested Ultrahuman’s CEO and CBO about this iOS/Android hole. They answered that iOS customers like “closed programs” and put extra inventory on “aesthetics,” and they also’re joyful to purchase an all-in-one system like a wise ring that curates the expertise and data for you.
He additionally talked about it being a matter of demographics, that iOS customers — or North American techies — may need extra discretionary revenue to spend on good rings.
Against this, he thinks that Android customers like “customization,” “personalization,” and the flexibility to “overclock” gadgets with sufficient effort. A screen-less good ring does not match that description, as a result of you may’t peek below the hood or activate developer settings (as you may on Put on OS).
Another excuse may very well be the Galaxy Ring, since so many Android customers favor Galaxy telephones and would possibly need the very best integration. An unconfirmed report instructed Samsung bumped its Galaxy Ring manufacturing from 400,000 to 1 million final yr as a consequence of excessive demand, so perhaps the Android crowd merely ignored non-Samsung choices.
It is odd, then, that IDC gross sales figures do not appear to replicate that, with Oura and Ultrahuman proudly owning near 90% of world good ring gross sales by the tip of 2024.
I imagine the Galaxy Ring’s Android exclusivity works in opposition to it as a result of North Individuals with disposable revenue for a $399 ring both (A) personal an iPhone or (B) have already got a Galaxy Watch or one other smartwatch that prices much less and does extra.
Worldwide, Android customers with much less revenue nonetheless purchase good rings, based mostly on the stats obtainable. However they’ve so many choices within the $150–300 vary that the Galaxy Ring has hassle standing out, apart from the Samsung label.
How good rings would possibly attraction extra to the Android crowd
Ultrahuman’s Mohit Kumar believes their enterprise will not be fairly as iOS-skewed as soon as they push extra gross sales in Europe and Asia. However nonetheless, there is a cause why they began making their rings in Texas: good rings have a rising market Stateside. So demographics apart, I requested whether or not they need to courtroom the North American Android crowd extra.
He argued that they are already taking these steps by including extra customization to the Ultrahuman app. PowerPlugs permit customers to decide on what information they see like AFib or Vitamin D, and the brand new UltraSignal developer platform and public APIs let anybody entry the PPG information and use it for their very own purposes.
In any other case, if we’re speaking “energy customers,” then a Galaxy Ring 2 might ship nearer integration with different gadgets, like gestures to regulate good glasses, NFC for Samsung Pay, or haptic suggestions for cellphone notifications.
However most good rings will stay understated, trendy, and considerably costly wellness or medical gadgets, moderately than customizable, overclockable tech.
Clearly, some Android customers purchase good rings! However I am curious if, as a collective, they will ever embrace rings as iOS customers have, or if they will fortunately persist with Put on OS watches or health watches and see good rings as an costly novelty greater than a necessity.
