SuperhumanA Bengaluru-based health tech startup known for its smart rings is trying to revive its US business after securing approval for its Ring Pro, setting up a renewed battle with Tailwhich strengthened its dominance in the interim.
The latest approval, granted by US Customs and Border Protection, comes less than a month after the global launch of the Ring Pro in late February and follows a October decision by the US International Trade Commission in favor of Oura which effectively restricted US imports of Ultrahuman smart rings.
The US remains the most critical market for smart rings, accounting for about 2.6 million units sold in 2025 — about 60% of the global total of 4.4 million units — and growing 59% year-over-year, according to IDC data shared with TechCrunch. The smart ring market has also been quickly consolidated, with Oura expanding its dominance in recent quarters as Ultrahuman’s share plummeted during the period of import restrictions.
Ultrahuman’s U.S. market share rose from 11.5 percent in 2024 to 24.6 percent by the second quarter of 2025, before falling to low single digits by the end of the year as restrictions took effect, IDC research director Jitesh Ubrani said. Over the same period, Oura’s share climbed from 63.3% to 85%, making up most of the ground lost by Ultrahuman.
The U.S. previously accounted for up to 50% of Ultrahuman’s revenue at its peak, though that share has since declined as the company expanded into Europe and Asia during a period of import restrictions, Kumar told TechCrunch. He downplayed the competitive impact, saying Ultrahuman’s absence only gave rivals a “three-month advantage” and that the company expects to quickly regain lost ground.
Ultrahuman plans to ramp up its US rollout immediately, with Kumar saying it could take five to six months to reach full scale as the company rebuilds its supply chain and distribution.
The Ring Pro’s redesigned unibody metal structure helped the company secure US licensing and will be central to the comeback, with improvements it says include longer battery life and improved processing on the device.
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Ultrahuman has opened US pre-orders for the Ring Pro, with shipping starting on May 15, according to the company. The device starts at $399, with early pre-orders priced at $349 for the first 1,000 customers.
Kumar said the Ring Pro was already in development as part of a broader product upgrade, but also helped deal with the patent dispute. “We believe the Ring Air is a non-infringing design and we are fighting it in US federal court,” he said, adding that the new design was intended to resolve the issue more definitively.
India is emerging as the next battleground
While Ultrahuman plans to step up its efforts in the US, rival Oura entered Ultrahuman’s home market of India last week with the launch of the Ring 4, setting the stage for wider competition in key markets.
Kumar was bullish on the competition, saying Ultrahuman remains focused on long-term growth in India even as new players enter the market. He added that increased competition could help broaden awareness of what remains a new category in the country.
Smart Ring Shipping in India decreased by 30.6% year-on-year in 2025, even as Ultrahuman led the market with a 30.4% share, followed by Gabit at 18.3%, according to a recent IDC report. Average selling prices fell 8.7% to $160, underscoring both increased competition and price pressure.
IDC expects the smart ring market to continue to grow at a double-digit rate in the US and globally, though growth in India is likely to remain more muted, Ubrani told TechCrunch. Oura’s international brand recognition could help it gain traction in the country, where early local competitors have already faded, leaving room for established global players to enter, he added. Many early entrants in India had focused heavily on repackaged material with limited differentiation and have since scaled back their efforts.
The U.S. accounts for about 45 percent of Ultrahuman’s roughly 700,000 daily active users worldwide, Kumar said, underscoring its importance to the company. The US user base is also more skewed, with women representing about 73-74% of users there, compared to about 68% globally, up from about 65% a year earlier.
Kumar also hinted at plans beyond smart rings, saying Ultrahuman is working on a new wearable device that focuses on a different biomarker as the company looks to expand its product portfolio. Ultrahuman currently tracks a range of biomarkers including heart rate, heart rate variability, skin temperature, sleep stages, movement and blood oxygen levels.
