Ultrahuman Ring Pro trademark points to a major redesign
The Ultrahuman Ring Pro is not just a rumor anymore; it is a legal necessity. Following a sales ban in the US, a trademark filing suggests the company is rapidly preparing a payments-enabled successor designed to bypass Oura’s patents.
It appears that Ultrahuman is ready to turn a courtroom defeat into a hardware victory. There is a trademark filing (via Lordofthesmartrings), for the “Ultrahuman Ring Pro” which was submitted back in July 2025.
This filing is significant because it is categorized under Class 9, which specifically covers software for contactless transactions. This strongly implies that the upcoming device will finally bring NFC payments to the finger, a feature that major competitors like Oura, RingConn and Samsung still lack.
The evidence is in the filings
The existence of the trademark confirms the branding is locked in, but the classification is what matters most here. Smart ring users have requested payment features for years, yet few manufacturers have delivered. This is due to the engineering challenges of fitting an NFC antenna into such a small form factor. If Ultrahuman pulls this off with the Pro model, it gives them an immediate functional advantage over the competition.
The timing of this development is inextricably linked to the recent legal rulings in the United States. The International Trade Commission recently issued a ruling that bans the import of the current Ultrahuman Ring Air. The dispute centers on the internal structure of the sensors and battery, which Oura argued violated their intellectual property.
Without a licensing deal or a successful appeal to the verdict, this legal wall forces Ultrahuman to redesign the internal architecture of their product. They cannot simply update the software. They must build a new ring with a different internal layout. This means the Ring Pro will likely feature a radically different sensor stack and battery configuration compared to the Air.
What we expect from the hardware
Ultrahuman has publicly stated they are fast-tracking a new design. And the Pro moniker fits perfectly with a more advanced, redesigned model.
While the ban is a setback, it often forces companies to innovate faster than they planned. The result could be a slimmer, more efficient device that uses a flatter component layout to avoid the curved battery patents that got them in trouble.
Beyond payments and a new internal layout, the you should also expect improvements to the PPG sensor module. A redesign offers the perfect opportunity to upgrade the photodiodes for better heart rate tracking during movement. This remains a challenge for most smart rings.
Battery life will also be a key focus. If they are forced to change the battery shape to avoid Oura’s patents, they might utilize new battery chemistries that offer higher density. The goal will be to push beyond what is currently available, especially if NFC payments draw more power.
A crowded market awaits
The landscape has changed significantly since the launch of the Ring Air. There is more competition out there.
Ultrahuman still holds an important advantage over Oura, which is its subscription-free model. If the Ring Pro lands with NFC payments, a thinner design and maintains the subscription-free promise, it will be a formidable competitor. We expect to see more concrete details or a potential launch window surfacing in the next few months.
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