Nina Raemont/ZDNET
ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Oura Ring 4 users report shorter battery life.
- The claims come a year after its debut.
- Oura seems to be quickly responding to this issue.
When Oura unveiled its fourth-generation smart ring last October, its eight-day battery life was a major draw for those upgrading from the Oura Ring 3. But a year after its release, it seems like that eight-day battery claim is weakening.
Reddit users on the r/ouraring forum report that their smart rings aren’t holding a charge, only lasting a few days before dying. Others say that the battery is completely shot and unrevivable.
“I went from probably a five day charge cycle to seemingly every other day,” one Reddit user wrote.
Also: Oura Ring 3 vs Oura Ring 4: Opt for the older, discounted smart ring or the newest?
I’ve also had my Oura Ring 4 for around a year and have noticed the smart ring averages around two to three days before needing to be recharged. These battery shortages are coupled with more frequent battery notifications introduced in recent updates. The app now tells users when their smart ring will run out. I’ve seen my battery percentage hit a little over 50%, prompting the battery button to turn orange and signaling me to charge the device.
“The thing will literally be at like 20% and send me a ‘critically low battery’ notification like it’s about to flatline lmao. Meanwhile I’m getting another full day out of it easy,” another user writes.
Oura’s weakening battery and the newer battery notifications that urge users to charge the device more frequently could be the reason battery life is the hot topic du jour on Oura’s Reddit.
Also: This smart ring is half the price of the Oura Ring 4 – here’s what to know
In an email to ZDNET, Oura addressed the reason behind the reported battery life issues, explaining that the smart rings use lithium-ion batteries, which chemically age over time to reduce maximum battery capacity. Performance varies depending on the smart ring’s age, usage, feature settings, and charging habits, an Oura spokesperson said.
“We are continuing to make improvements in our software and features to help reduce battery aging. Most members continue to experience between 5-8 days of battery life, as expected. We encourage members to contact customer support, where we handle issues on a case-by-case basis, troubleshooting and replacing rings as needed,” the spokesperson said.
When I initially reviewed the smart ring last year, I mentioned how its eight-day battery life claims didn’t live up to the reality of regular usage. During the first few weeks of testing, I got around four to five days out of the ring before needing to recharge. I have a size 6 ring, which is one of the smaller ones. So my battery life could be shorter than larger sizes with larger battery capacity.
How to get help from Oura
The good news is the company is fairly responsive and has messaged Reddit posters directly to address the issue. Plus, those who contact Oura about these battery problems receive a free replacement.
ZDNET’s Aly Windsor messaged Oura about the issue, and customer support immediately approved her replacement request. Once the virtual customer support assistant detected an issue with Windsor’s battery, it kick-started a free replacement. One user said the replacement process took “less than five minutes.”
A scroll through Oura’s Reddit shows this to be the typical experience of ring users with weakened battery life. Oura has a social care team member sifting through these complaints on Reddit to guide users to customer support and fix these issues.
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