Circular Ring 2 claims blood pressure & glucose tracking but can it really work
Circular is making big promises for its upcoming smart ring, claiming it will offer blood pressure trend tracking by late 2025 and blood glucose trend monitoring in late 2026. If these features work as advertised, the Circular Ring 2 would be the first smart ring to deliver such capabilities, but given the mixed reception of the first-generation device, there’s reason to be skeptical.
Blood pressure tracking later this year
The company says it will use a combination of ECG and PPG sensors to estimate blood pressure through Pulse Transit Time (PTT). This technique has been explored by other wearables, but none have delivered truly reliable results outside of calibration-based systems.
Blood pressure tracking will be enabled through an over-the-air update in late 2025, the company says. The feature will require a short measurement session of 30 seconds to two minutes. If successful, this would make the Circular Ring 2 the first smart ring to provide spot BP readings without an external device.
However, no company has managed to deliver accurate, cuffless blood pressure tracking purely from the finger. And we’ve had promises before. Muse Ring One is an example that springs to mind. There are others.
Glucose measurements also incoming?
The bigger feat would be the ability to track blood glucose trends non-invasively, a feature set to arrive in late 2026. Yes – in about two years. That is a long time to wait for a feature that may or may not come.
Circular says it will use light-based PPG sensors and machine learning to estimate glucose fluctuations over time, rather than provide precise, medical-grade readings. This won’t replace traditional glucose monitors for those with diabetes, but it could offer general insights into how lifestyle factors affect blood sugar.
It seems this will be on-demand measurements. The company says taking a two-minute reading each morning to build a clearer long-term picture, but again, no wearable has successfully implemented this kind of technology yet.
Our thoughts
Circular is currently running a Kickstarter campaign which is actually doing rather well. So far they have raised over $1 million from some 3,800 backers. And that’s with 28 days to go.
The company has been ambitious before, but the first-generation ring suffered from quality control issues, delays, and underwhelming real-world performance. We have not reviewed it but others have. Now, with its second attempt, they are promising features that even the biggest players in wearables have struggled to achieve. .
While the idea of getting blood pressure and glucose insights from a smart ring is appealing, history suggests caution. Especially with crowdfunded products. The real test will be whether Circular can deliver not just on the technology, but on reliability, accuracy, and overall product quality—things that have tripped up the company before.
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