Oura is rolling out two new fitness metrics—Cardio Effort and VO2 max—as competitive pressure in the smart ring market grows. The company has long dominated the category, but RingConn and Ultrahuman are challenging that position, pushing Oura to keep adding features to defend its lead.
Cardio Effort measures how much a workout taxes the cardiovascular system, combining intensity and duration into a score relative to each user's baseline. It includes both per-workout and weekly aggregates, with categories ranging from Light to Reaching. Oura says this shifts focus from minutes moved to whether the user is maintaining, building, or overdoing fitness.
VO2 max, traditionally requiring a lab test or a six-minute walking test, will now be estimated passively from GPS-enabled workouts. After five qualifying activities, users receive an initial estimate and a fitness category. The feature is launching in Oura Labs for Gen3 and newer rings.
The two features are designed to work together, showing both immediate effort and long-term fitness trends. The move reflects how Oura is using advanced health metrics to stay ahead as rivals close in. This report is based on TechCrunch's coverage of the announcement.