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ZDNET's key takeaways
Oura is launching four colorful $500 smart rings.
The Oura Ring 4 Ceramic lineup is eye-catching and fashionable.
The software is no different than the original Oura Ring 4.
Smart rings are more discreet health trackers than a smartwatch, and it takes a knowing eye to realize somebody is wearing one. Still, as Oura Rings become more prevalent (and Oura Ring sales skyrocket), it's getting easier and more common to spot that chunky metallic ring around a person's finger.
Also: The best smart rings: I tested and found an obvious winner
Oura's latest product offers an alternative to the company's flashy metal smart rings. The Oura Ring 4 Ceramic lineup, the smart ring company announced on Wednesday, leans more toward the device as a statement piece. Eye-popping colors make the new wearable seem like an accessory first and a health tracker second.
The Oura Ring Ceramic is made of zirconia ceramic, a material Oura says is designed for shine and durability. It comes in four rich colors: Cloud (white), Tide (light blue), Petal (light pink), and Midnight (navy). Compared to the original Oura Ring 4 lineup, Oura says the ceramic coating on these rings keeps the color vibrant and less prone to fading or discoloration over time.
I got some hands-on time with the new smart ring earlier this month, and what immediately drew me in was how smooth the ceramic finish felt around my fingers. The Ceramic ring is thicker than the Oura Ring 4, which might complicate everyday wear. That seems intentional though, since Oura is marketing the Ceramic Ring as a fashion piece, one that wearers can interchange, depending on their outfit.
Oura says due to the zirconia ceramic's hard finish, the ring tends to take on scuffs from softer metals. The ring is prone to gray scuffs, which can be removed with the ceramic polishing pad Oura provides with each Ceramic ring.
Also: Is your Oura Ring losing battery life? Here's the solution
Along with the Ceramic, Oura announced multi-ring support, meaning users can now switch between smart rings on one account to continuously record activity and sleep data. Previously, the app could only record and collect data from one smart ring. This announcement also suggests that the Ceramic ring is meant to be a secondary smart ring in a user's lineup.
The hardware might look different, but under the hood, the Oura Ring 4 and the Ring 4 Ceramic are exactly the same, with the same battery life, health and sleep tracking functionalities, and sizing. The price of Ring 4 Ceramic starts at $499, and, as always, the annual subscription that unlocks full access to health data is an additional $70 a year.
Oura also announced a new charging case that packs five full charges into an on-the-go holder. The charger retails for $99 and is available to order later this year.