Image source: Oura

Oura considers adding meal tracking to its bag of tricks

Code spotted in a Beta version of the Oura smart ring app hints at an upcoming AI enhanced meal tracking feature.

The smart ring market, once dominated by the Finnish outfit, has seen a surge in competition over the past year. New entrants like Ultrahuman Ring Air, RingConn (set to release its second-generation device tomorrow), Samsung Galaxy Ring, and Amazfit Helio, among others, have entered the arena. It’s becoming a rather crowded space.


A new meal logging feature

In what appears to be a response to this competitive pressure, Oura may be developing a new meal logging feature for its flagship device. Evidence of this potential addition was recently discovered by Android Authority in a beta version of the Oura app (version 5.3.4 beta 2).

Essential readingTop fitness trackers and health gadgets

If implemented, this feature could provide users with a more comprehensive understanding of how their eating habits impact their overall health and sleep patterns. It’s worth noting that no other smart ring currently offers this type of functionality. Which makes it particularly interesting.

It does the hard work for you

The meal logging feature, as suggested by the beta code, would allow users to track their meals and meal times. While manual logging is an option, the standout aspect of this feature is its AI-powered component. Users will be able to take a picture of their meal, with the app utilizing artificial intelligence to analyze the contents and provide an estimate of the total calories.

I have tried various meal logging apps, but ultimately found that it was too much work trying to keep track of everything. An AI-powered system that can accurately estimate calorie content from a photo would be great. I would definitely use something like that.


Not a definite – just yet

It’s important to note that while these strings have been spotted in the beta code, there’s no guarantee that this feature will make it to the final release. Companies often test various features during development, and not all make it to public release.

So far this year, the company has released several firmware updates for its Generation 3 ring. But nothing ground breaking. The most recent update (version 2.10.4, released May 6, 2024) improved data synchronization between the ring and the Oura App and reduced battery usage. Earlier updates focused on improving Bluetooth connectivity, stability, and addressing issues with sleep data collection and battery level reporting.

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Ivan Jovin

Ivan has been a tech journalist for over 7 years now, covering all kinds of technology issues. He is the guy who gets to dive deep into the latest wearable tech news.

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