This smart ring promises health insights even Google and Apple haven’t cracked

The smart ring market is rapidly evolving, with players like Oura setting the standard and tech giants like Samsung entering the fray with the Galaxy Ring. Now, Circular is pushing the category forward with bold new claims for its latest wearable, the Circular Ring 2, which is set to launch later this year.

The company recently opened pre-orders for the Circular Ring 2 on Kickstarter, surpassing the $1 million mark in pledges. Alongside this milestone, Circular has announced two major health-tracking features coming to the device post-launch: blood pressure (BP) and blood glucose (BG) trend tracking. These additions, arriving via over-the-air (OTA) updates in late 2025 and 2026, respectively, could significantly expand what smart rings are capable of.

A smart ring that tracks blood pressure?

Blood pressure monitoring in wearables has been a tricky challenge, with most devices relying on photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors, which can provide estimates but lack precision. Circular claims it has found a more accurate approach by combining electrocardiogram (ECG) and PPG sensors. The Circular Ring 2 will use Pulse Transit Time (PTT) — the time it takes for blood to travel through the arteries — to estimate blood pressure trends.

Users will reportedly be able to take quick measurements lasting between 30 seconds to two minutes, offering insights into how daily habits like diet, exercise, and stress impact blood pressure. This feature is expected to roll out via an OTA update by the end of 2025.

Non-invasive blood glucose tracking

Perhaps even more ambitious is Circular’s plan to introduce blood glucose trend tracking through a software update in late 2026. The company states that its approach relies on analyzing how light interacts with blood using PPG sensors combined with machine learning algorithms. This would allow users to track glucose fluctuations over time without finger pricks or continuous glucose monitors (CGMs).

However, Circular acknowledges that this feature won’t replace medical-grade glucose monitoring, especially for people with diabetes. Instead, it aims to provide trend insights to help users understand how factors like diet, sleep, and exercise impact their glucose levels. The company suggests taking readings at consistent times, such as after waking up, to track long-term patterns.

The promised tomorrow

While these features sound promising on paper, there’s always a level of skepticism when it comes to promised future updates. Many companies have made bold claims in the past, only to fall short or delay key features indefinitely. Consumers should be cautious about buying a product based on what it might offer down the line rather than what it can do at launch. Even if Circular succeeds in implementing BP and BG tracking on the Circular Ring 2, their real-world reliability will need to be scrutinized.

That being said, even the prospect of such features is noteworthy. No mainstream smartwatch — not even the Apple Watch or Pixel Watch — offers blood pressure or glucose trend tracking, making Circular’s claims stand out in an increasingly competitive market.