The $259 Circular Smart Ring starts shipping to backers

Circular is about to take Oura on with a $259 smart ring. The French-based company has started shipping the device to Kickstarter backers. Circular Smart Ring is also now available for pre-order on the manufacturer’s website with a delivery date set for December.

Smart rings are yet to take off in any meaningful way but the finger is a great place to track a whole range of physiological metrics. One of the most popular such devices is the Oura ring. It puts a lot of emphasis on analyzing the quality of your rest but also tracks some activity during the day. At CES 2022 another solution in the making was showcased. It is called Circular.

This smart ring comes with a 3-axis accelerometer and infrared heart rate sensor that allow it to track a range of metrics. At night this includes circadian rhythm, sleep, heart rate & heart rate variability, blood oxygen levels, temperature and more. During the day this also includes activity volumes with automatic recognition, steps, energy levels and more.

Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets

The Circular ring connects via Bluetooth to your iPhone or Android device. If your smartphone is not close by, it can store detailed data for up to 7 days.

Outside of wellness, the ring dishes out notifications through vibrations, it has smart controls and intelligent alarms. The accompanying smartphone app comes with a personal assistant called Kira which delivers personal insights rather than just metrics and raw data.

“A lot of the wearable devices that we see are too bulky, too gadget looking, lack personalization and present users with raw data without telling them how to use it. As wearable users ourselves, we wanted a device that would not only be more personal but would also use the data it found to help make recommendations for an overall healthier lifestyle,” says Circular’s CEO Amaury Kosman.

Built to last, the 5 ATM-rated scratch and water-resistant device comes with an interchangeable shell so you can tailor it to your liking. At the outset there will be a Silver, Black Fit and Rose Gold shell to swap between. The body is made of nickel-free clinical plastic and the whole thing weighs just 4 grams.

The thing is designed to fit in seamlessly with your life so there is no on/off button. The ring knows when you’re wearing it and it will automatically put itself into sleep mode when possible. Having said that, there is a physical push button which is used as a shortcut to things you do most. Battery life is a decent 2 days on a quick 60 minute charge.

Manufacturing delays

On paper, this certainly sounds like a useful little health-assistant that offers many of the same features as Oura ring. The project originated via a Kickstarter campaign a couple of years ago. However it ran into delays to the dismay of its 1,500+ backers. Delivery was originally scheduled for August 2020.

The global pandemic is cited as the reason for the manufacturing hold up. Delivery to backers has finally started a few weeks ago. But not all of the backers have received the device just yet.

Others can order the ring for $259 on the manufacturer’s website. Interestingly, Circular’s price undercuts Oura’s price by $50. Even better, there’s been no mention so far of a subscription model.

The ring is available in the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia. Actual delivery to those who pre-order now is set for December 2022.

Interestingly, Circular’s price undercuts Oura’s price by $50. There’s been no mention so far of a subscription model.

The other smart ring in development that has generated quite a bit of interest comes from Movano. An even more ambitious project, the hope is that the device will eventually be able to monitor glucose and blood pressure. If everything goes well, its launch will occur in Q4 2022.

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