Move over, Apple Watch Series 10: RingConn has a new smart ring coming, and the company says its Gen 2 Smart Ring includes integrated sleep apnea detection as well.
The new smart ring, introduced at IFA 2024 in Berlin, offers detailed sleep tracking along with sleep apnea monitoring. Initially launched on August 1 via crowdfunded campaign through Kickstarter, the company raised close to US$4 million from 16,000 backers who want to support the technology.
The RingConn Gen 2 Smart Ring can measure for sleep apnea after at least three continuous hours of real-time sleep monitoring overnight. From there, you can gain insights on sleep apnea symptoms along with your overall sleep health. It’s unclear how it accomplishes this, but it’s likely in a similar fashion to the Apple Watch Series 10, which measures the frequency of respiratory interruptions. Note that the smart ring is considered a pre-diagnostic tool: it does not replace the diagnosis or treatment by a qualified healthcare professional. However, if you notice incidences that could be related to undiagnosed sleep apnea, you can use this information to prompt you to explore further with a medical professional.
Design-wise, the RingConn Gen 2 is ultra-thin with a minimum thickness of just 2mm and weighs between 2 and 3 grams, depending on the size. Compared to the previous generation RingConn smart ring, the company says this one is 24.8% thinner, 50% lighter, and 12.8% narrower. It’s made from medical-grade epoxy resin and aerospace-grade titanium alloy, so it won’t irritate your skin and is also durable.
Get anywhere from 10-12 days of battery life per charge, a significant 71.4% improvement over the first-generation product. That’s also, it should be noted, significantly longer than most smartwatches. With the included charging case, you can get up to 150 days of use without having to bring along a charging cord.
RingConn says it is in the process of developing an AI-driven personalized health coaching system that will use the Gen 2 Smart Ring to offer tailored health insights and improvement plans through in-app interaction. This feature is to be launched by late October.
Smart rings are quickly becoming a popular form of wearable device for health and wellness tracking. While most won’t be worn on their own, they provide a wonderful secondary form of measurement to wear alongside a smartwatch.