Ultrahuman smart rings banned in US after Oura legal victory

The US International Trade Commission (ITC) has issued its final ruling in Oura’s patent case against rival smart ring maker Ultrahuman.

According to an update shared by Oura, the ITC has concluded its investigation into the matter. Now that the presidential review period has ended, the ITC’s final ruling imposes exclusion and cease-and-desist orders against Ultrahuman. This means that Ultrahuman is effectively banned from importing and selling its smart rings in the United States, leaving Oura and Samsung as the two biggest smart ring players in the country.

The company calls it an “important legal milestone” that “validates the strength of Oura’s patents and our commitment to enabling ethical collaboration across the smart ring ecosystem.”

Meanwhile, Oura and RingConn have reached an agreement that resolves all ongoing patent disputes between the two companies in the U.S. Under the terms of the confidential agreement, Oura granted RingConn a multi-year patent license, allowing the company to continue selling its smart rings and companion app in the U.S.

The ITC first found that Ultrahuman and RingConn had infringed Oura’s patents in August. At that time, the commission issued temporary exclusion and cease-and-desist orders preventing both companies from selling their devices in the United States. Oura welcomed the move, but users and enthusiasts argued that the decision reduced consumer options in a market that is still in its early stages.

Ultrahuman, whose Ring Air competes with Oura on price and design, maintains that its product will remain available for now. In a statement to Gadgets and wearablesthe company said:

Ultrahuman Ring AIR remains available for purchase through retailers. All existing Ultrahuman Ring AIR users will continue to receive full firmware, software, and warranty support without interruption.