GoKawiilOura
The Oura Ring 5 is finally official, and I couldn’t be any more excited about it. I’ve been a fan of the company’s smart rings since I tried the Ring 3 and wore it every day until the excellent Ring 4 launched, so I switched. I’ve had it on my finger since, and the Ring 5 has everything I wanted. A smaller profile, blood pressure signal monitoring, and a more resistant design to avoid all the scratches of the previous rings.
That is all excellent, but Oura is making one big mistake with its Ring 5, and it has nothing to do with the ring itself, but with the way we charge it.
Would you pay $99 extra for Oura's Ring 5 charging case? 11 votes Yes, it's worth it! 9 % Maybe, I'd have to see if I need it. 0 % No way! This should be free with the ring. 64 % I don't have a need for a charging case. The puck is fine. 27 %
$99 for a charging case is a tall ask
Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
When Oura launched its Oura Ring 4 charging case earlier this year, it was entirely justified to put a price tag on it. This was, after all, a new accessory being added to the portfolio that would be purchased by users as an extra on top of their existing Ring 4 and charging puck. The $99 price was a bit high, still, but it was almost justifiable for a first foray into charging cases.
However, Oura has gone with the same strategy with the Oura Ring 5 now. The new ring will ship with the default puck charger out of the box, despite its $399 price tag. To get the charging case, you need to pay an extra $99 once again. It’s an absolutely silly decision. Obviously, Oura stands to make more money if users decide to splurge on the case. But, marketing-wise, the comparison between Oura and its competitors is becoming increasingly absurd.
Here’s a rundown of what the competition is offering: Samsung Galaxy Ring: $399 with a charging case, without a subscription
Luna Ring 2: $329 with a charging case, without a subscription
... continue reading