Samsung has brought a lawsuit against Oura in the US ahead of the launch of its Galaxy Ring. In a complaint filed with the California federal court, Samsung asks for a declaratory judgment that its smart ring does not infringe on five of Oura’s patents. It looks like the company is taking this action in an effort to ensure initial sales of the new wearable go smoothly.
Samsung says it has made the filing based on “Oura’s pattern of indiscriminate assertion of patent infringement against any and all competitors”, referencing other recent legal disputes with manufacturers like Ultrahuman and Circular. It goes on to argue that the features are “common to virtually all smart rings”. The five patents cover the use of various sensors, electronics, and batteries and the method for calculating the Readiness Score. This score, seen on models like the Oura Ring Gen3 Horizon, uses metrics like heart rate and body temperature and indicates whether you need a more restful day or have enough energy for a more active day.
The Samsung Galaxy Ring is expected to have a similar Energy Score feature alongside heart rate and sleep tracking tools. The ring will be available in sizes from 5 to 13, with the largest two using a 22.5 mAh battery. In the filing, Samsung confirmed that it will begin mass production of the Galaxy Ring in mid-June and plans to launch the smart wearable in the US “in or around” August. Tipster Yogesh Brar posted on X in May suggesting that the ring would retail for Rs 35,000 in India and between $300 and $350 in the US. The outcome of Samsung’s pre-emptive action against Oura and its effect on other lawsuits remains to be seen.