Battery Replacement Patent Signals a Shift Toward Longer Device Lifespan
While the current Oura Ring 5 retails for $399 and introduced a noticeably slimmer design, the company is quietly developing potential breakthroughs that could reshape the smart ring experience. Earlier this year, Oura secured a patent for a ring that allows users to replace the battery in just a few simple steps. This represents a significant departure from the existing hardware: teardowns of the Oura Ring 5 reveal that once the battery reaches the end of its life, the device is effectively reduced to electronic waste.
Ambient Light Sensing Could Unlock New Health Insights
On July 16, 2026, the United States Patent and Trademark Office published two additional Oura filings that detail how the ring’s PPG photodiodes might be repurposed to measure ambient light during the intervals when they are not actively monitoring heart rate. The sensor is engineered to capture light intensity, duration, and wavelength, potentially enabling the device to track a user’s UV exposure on a sunny day. In keeping with the company’s wellness-oriented approach, this data would feed directly into personalized health guidance.
Smarter Sleep Environments Through App Automation
According to the patent documentation, the companion app could alert users if their bedroom is too bright and likely to interfere with falling asleep. For those with connected homes, the software could go further by automatically dimming smart lights or closing motorized blinds. Users without smart home devices would instead receive practical suggestions, such as drawing the curtains manually. Ambient light levels may eventually become another metric Oura evaluates when calculating overall sleep quality. As with all patents, there is no guarantee of when—or if—these features will reach consumers.
Sources: ppubs.uspto.gov, gadgetsandwearables.com