Ultrahuman just added a life-saving feature Samsung’s Galaxy Ring doesn’t offer

Summary

• Ultrahuman’s Ring Air offers AFib detection, a first for smart rings, beating out competitors like Samsung’s Galaxy Ring.
• Some PowerPlugs features come with a subscription fee, but they can add valuable health tracking features like Vitamin D and Weight Loss tracking.
• Ultrahuman plans to expand the Ring Air’s capabilities with more PowerPlugs and invites developers to build on its health data platform.

Samsung just introduced its Galaxy Ring at the recent Unpacked event, but there were already several smart rings available in the market, including the Ultrahuman Ring Air and the Amazfit Helio Ring. The launch of the Galaxy Ring has undoubtedly put pressure on other smart ring makers. However, Ultrahuman has already gained an edge over the competition by adding the PowerPlugs extension feature to the Ring Air, which includes the first-ever Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) detection on a smart ring.

AFib detection is typically found on the best smartwatches, but it’s a challenging feature to add to a smart ring due to its small size and limited sensors. Ultrahuman has now become the first smart ring manufacturer to incorporate AFib detection. AFib is the most common type of irregular heart rhythm and can lead to serious health issues such as stroke and heart failure if left undetected. With the Ring Air, users can now detect AFib directly through the smart ring.

This PowerPlug can be enabled on the smart ring using the Ultrahuman app. However, the feature is currently available only in select regions. The company says it is working to obtain regulatory approval in more countries and plans to launch it in new markets every few weeks.

Ultrahuman gets into subscription model with PowerPlugs, kind of…

Until now, the Ring Air has distinguished itself by offering all health tracking features without any added subscription costs. However, some PowerPlugs, including the AFib detection, come with a monthly subscription fee. Here in India, the AFib detection feature costs Rs. 499 per month (or $6 per month), but we haven’t been able to subscribe to the feature yet.

But AFib detection isn’t the only PowerPlug coming to Ring Air. The company is adding many other features, such as Vitamin D tracking, which monitors your daily Vitamin D intake; Weight Loss, which integrates meal planning with real-time glucose monitoring; and Ovulation, which helps women understand their ovulation cycles, among others, to the Ring Air.

Ultrahuman says these are just some of the first PowerPlugs being made available. Over the next few years, you will be able to choose from many more applications built on Ultrahuman’s comprehensive health data platform. The company is also opening up the ring’s API and inviting developers to build bespoke algorithms for the entire Ultrahuman ecosystem.