CheckMag | Can the Oura ring 4 beat Samsung Galaxy ring in design and contactless payment? Top 4 features to expect

The Oura ring 4 is expected to offer Apple Pay-style contactless payment capabilities, along with virtual cards, according to recent speculation. This follows Oura's acquisition of Proxy in 2023, a company specializing in digital identity signal technology. This sets the Oura ring 4 apart from the new Samsung Galaxy ring (currently available for preorder at BestBuy), which does not support NFC contactless payments.

With this technology, future Oura rings could potentially be used for more than just health tracking. They might enable access control to offices and other secure areas that typically require keycards. This would expand the ring's functionality, making it a more versatile wearable​.

The Oura ring is set to take a significant leap forward with the introduction of the symptom radar feature in its fourth-generation model. This feature is designed to alert users to significant changes in biometric readings, including temperature, respiratory rate, resting heart rate, and heart rate variability. Upon receiving an alert, users can opt to activate rest mode or reduce their daily activity goals to prioritize recovery. These alerts can be triggered not only by potential illness but also by other factors such as intense workouts or several nights of poor sleep. Currently in the testing phase, symptom radar is expected to become a standard feature soon, enhancing the ring's ability to help users manage their health proactively.

A thinner and lighter design is a common demand for wearable technology. While the third-generation Oura rings are not overly bulky, they lack the sleekness of traditional rings. The recently released Samsung Galaxy ring has already set a new standard with its slim and lightweight profile.

For the upcoming Oura ring 4, any reduction in size would significantly enhance both wearability and aesthetic appeal. A more streamlined profile would bring the smart ring closer to the elegance of a regular ring while retaining its advanced health-tracking capabilities.

Oura's primary focus has always been on health, wellbeing, and sleep. These remain the most effective use cases for such devices. However, the emergence of smart rings shows that there is potential for prioritizing activity tracking, even if it’s not directly performed by the ring, to cater to serious athletes.

Significant advancements in tracking accuracy may not be realistic due to the inherent limitations of smart rings. However, the Oura ring 4 could benefit from enhancing the activity section of its app to make it more engaging. Oura has already made progress by integrating with platforms like Google Health Connect and improving compatibility with the Apple Watch, but there is still potential for further development to offer a more comprehensive tracking experience.