LISBON — Apple won’t introduce a sensible ring, the CEO of health technology company Oura told CNBC, despite speculation that the iPhone giant might consider entering the product category.

The debut of Samsung's Smart Ring earlier this yr brought the product into the highlight. An analyst predicted earlier this yr that Apple could launch its own smart ring in 2026.

But Tom Hale, CEO of Oura – which has been developing smart rings because the company was founded in 2013 – said he doesn't think Apple will enter this space.

“I feel she [Apple] “We're not convinced of the value of having a ring and a watch together, and they're not interested in undermining Apple Watch as a business,” Hale said in an interview on the Web Summit in Lisbon, Portugal, on Tuesday , told CNBC.

“I think they're probably keeping a close eye on Samsung and us, but it's a difficult product category to get right.”

Under CEO Tim Cook, Apple has placed a serious deal with health applications through the Apple Watch and related services.

A wise ring is a form of wearable device full of sensors that can provide the wearer details about things like health, activity, and sleep. They're lightweight and have a protracted battery life, which fans say makes them ideal for wearing all day, including while sleeping, versus a smartwatch, which could also be less comfortable and subsequently removed more often.

“Apple is a really focused company. They say, 'We're on the clock. We're going to make the watch our platform,'” Hale said.

Oura recently launched its next-generation Oura Ring 4 as competition increases in the wearable sector.

LISBON – Samsung's push into smart rings doesn't concern the pinnacle of the product category's pioneer, Oura – quite, Tom Hale says he sees an uptick in business.

“I'm sure a big tech company will make an announcement and say, 'Hey, this is a category that matters. It's going to be something really big.' I think it’s probably helpful,” Hale said in an interview with CNBC this week.

“As far as the impact on our business, it has had no impact. If anything, our business has become stronger since their announcement.”

In an in-depth interview with CNBC on the Web Summit conference in Lisbon, Hale discussed Oura's plans for brand new insights it desires to offer users, how he thinks about recent devices, and the corporate's intentions for international expansion.

Oura's flagship product is the Oura Ring 4, a tool generally known as a Smart Ring. It's filled with sensors that may track some health metrics, allowing Oura app users to learn more in regards to the quality of their sleep or how ready they’re for the day ahead.

Founded in Finland in 2013, the corporate is described by analysts as a pioneer within the smart ring sector. Oura said it has sold greater than 2.5 million of its rings since launching its first product. CCS Insight predicts Oura will end the 12 months with a 49% market share in smart rings.

Competition is starting to emerge on this area. The world's largest smartphone maker Samsung took its first step into smart rings this 12 months with the Galaxy Ring, which some analysts say has put the device category on the map and introduced it to a wider audience.

Hale goals to position Oura as a “healthcare company and science company from the ground up,” with the goal of its product being “clinically viable.” Oura is applying to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval to make use of its ring for diagnostics, although Hale declined to offer too many further details.

He said Oura stands out from the competition due to its give attention to health and science.

“If you actually think about it [of] For you as a healthcare company, things are very different in many ways and you may have different attitudes towards data protection. …So instead of being like a technology company where data is a kind of oil that is extracted and then used to achieve network effects, we are really a healthcare company where your data is untouchable,” Hale said.

Oura's business model is based on selling the hardware as well as a $5.99 monthly subscription service that allows users to receive the insights from their ring. Oura claims to have almost 2 million subscribers.

“We are more like a software company than a hardware company. And I think that's because of the business model and the fact that it works. Our subscribers continue to pay,” Hale said.

Oura uses the data collected by the ring to provide its users with insights focused on a person's sleep levels, activity, and readiness for the day.

Hale said the company is now testing the diet, with users able to take a photo of their meal and log it into the Oura app. Also in the nutrition space, he highlighted Oura's recent acquisition of Veri, a metabolic health startup that can collect data from continuous glucose monitors – small devices inserted into a person's arm – to provide insight into a person's blood sugar levels. Hale says this, combined with Oura's food tracking feature, could tell a user how certain meals affect their glucose levels.

Many glucose monitors today are invasive and have to be inserted into the skin. Some observers see a non-invasive glucose monitor on wearable devices as something that may very well be transformative – but Hale warns that goal will likely be difficult to attain.

“The idea that a wearable [device] “I think that the question that they're going to put there was definitely a Holy Grail, and just like the Holy Grail, they may never find it because it's a very difficult problem to solve with any precision,” Hale said.

“Never say never. “Certainly technology continues to advance and all capabilities continue to develop,” he added.

While Oura currently only sells rings, Hale expects the company to develop new products in the future. He declined to elaborate.

“I think we will undoubtedly see more Oura-branded products outside of the ring,” he promised.

He also said the company hopes to work with other devices, even if they are not Oura's own hardware.

How many hardware companies, such as Apple and Samsung, Oura is looking for ways to leverage the advancing capabilities of artificial intelligence to provide users with more personalized insights. Smartphone makers have talked about so-called “AI agents,” which they see as assistants that can predict what a user wants.

Similarly, Oura is testing an AI product called Oura Advisor.

“Think of it as the doctor in your pocket who knows all the data about you,” Hale said.

Healthy'S Attending the Web Summit in Lisbon underscores its commitment to increasing Oura's brand awareness in markets outside the U.S., especially as more people learn about smart rings.

“I think the fact that the category is something that people are learning about, the unique benefits of that maturity, works in our favor. We’re expanding internationally,” Hale said.

He said he was particularly “excited” about the push into Western Europe, including countries such as Britain, Germany, France and Italy. Looking even further into the future, Hale said that an IPO for the company is currently out of the question, adding that operating as a private company gives Oura more “freedom.”

“I really enjoy the freedom we have as a private company. We are accountable to our investors and shareholders, but they are willing to let us operate with a lot of license,” he said. “And if we decided to become unprofitable because we wanted to invest in owning a category of healthcare software, that would be fine. They would be happy about that.”

Oura introduced its latest smart ring on Thursday, the Oura Ring 4, starting at $349.

The company's rings track sleep, exercise, stress, heart health and other metrics to assist users understand their bodies and make healthier selections. The Oura Ring 4 features latest sensors, a slimmer design and as much as eight days of battery life.

Oura said it has developed a brand new “smart sensing” platform that uses an algorithm and updated sensors to capture more accurate readings for blood oxygen measurement, daytime and nighttime heart rate, and respiration disorders.

The sensors in Oura's third-generation ring are raised and feel like little bumps, however the sensors within the Oura Ring 4 are flat. The company said this provides the ring a smooth interior that’s more comfortable to wear.

The Oura Ring 4 is accessible in twelve sizes and 6 colours, including a brand new black finish. It may be pre-ordered from Thursday and can ship from October fifteenth.

In addition to the upfront cost, users must pay $5.99 per 30 days or $69.99 per yr for a membership. The first month is free. To pay for the ring and membership, customers can use flexible savings accounts and health savings accounts.

A brand new search for the app

The company also announced a brand new design for its app, which is now available to Oura members. In the brand new layout, user data is organized into three tabs named Today, Vitals, and My Health.

The Today tab highlights relevant information based on the time of day and includes shortcuts that allow users to quickly access details about sleep, activity, readiness, stress, heart rate and, if applicable, menstrual cycles. Users can get more detailed details about their data within the Vitals tab and access longer-term metrics resembling sleep trends, cardiovascular age, sleep trends and stress resilience within the My Health tab.

Oura said the app may even receive latest features.

While exercising, members don’t have to manually log their heart rate or the sort of exercise accomplished. You can even see their activities and day by day movements of their day by day stress data. Oura said it will help increase users' understanding of how their behavior and habits can influence their stress.

Oura can be updating its reproductive health offerings to incorporate a feature called Fertility Window, designed to tell users about their probabilities of becoming pregnant. The Fertile Window gives users an estimate of their fertile days, their likelihood of conception, and their detected ovulation day. Oura said this feature will roll out in the approaching months, but members can join for early access on the waiting list.

Oura Labs, where users can test latest features, is now available on Android devices. The function was previously only offered on iPhones.