What you need to know
- Circular announces in a press release that it’s working to roll out updates that contain Blood Pressure and Blood Glucose monitoring for the Ring 2.
- The blood pressure update will combine ECG and PPG tech for more “accurate” readings.
- Circular claims its glucose monitoring will offer “valuable” insights into a user’s blood sugar “without needles or CGMs.”
- While its true accuracy remains unknown, Circular would be the first to do so over the likes of Samsung who’s still working on it for the Galaxy Watch.
Circular announces a couple of new features for its smart ring that could help users better understand their health.
According to a press release, Circular states it is preparing to bring two features to its Ring 2: Blood Pressure and Glucose monitoring. The company says both features will arrive to assist users in a “non-invasive” way to provide “deeper insight into your health.” To get this done, the post states the Blood Pressure (BP) update will arrive this year through an OTA (over the air) update for the Ring 2.
However, Circular claims it’s stepping up its ring’s accuracy by combining ECG and PPG technology. In theory, this is said to “enable spot blood pressure measurements,” which Circular states will make its Ring 2 the “first smart ring to achieve this.”
Additionally, Circular says the Ring 2 will receive PTT (Pulse Transit Time), detailing how long it takes blood to travel through your arteries. The company says its “quick measurements” can take anywhere from 30 seconds to two minutes, but are designed to offer you an insightful glimpse into the state of your blood pressure.
Circular announces its consumers can expect its Blood Pressure update in “late 2025.”
The Ring 2’s Blood Glucose Monitoring
The second major update is the statement that the Circular Ring 2 is preparing to debut a Blood Glucose monitoring update in “late 2026.”
The post claims this update will be “truly groundbreaking,” allowing its users to track how their glucose levels fluctuate “without finger-pricks or CGMs.” The Ring 2 is said to utilize PPG sensors and Circular’s machine-learning software to analyze how light interacts with a person’s blood. The Ring 2 will soon activate “consistent readings” — which could take up to two minutes to complete after waking up — to determine your “long-term glucose patterns.”
Circular appears confident that while its glucose monitoring won’t replace more traditional monitoring methods, its technology will at least be “valuable.” It remains to be seen just how well the Ring 2 will be at understanding and compiling the information needed for accurate glucose trend monitoring.
Nevertheless, we’ll see how things fair late next year.
An announcement like this precedes the likes of Samsung, which was teased to have glucose monitoring in the works for a future Galaxy Watch. A Samsung exec, senior vice president Hon Pak, brought awareness to the company’s development of non-invasive glucose monitoring. Pak stated the feature would be “optical-based,” meaning users won’t have to fret about needles.
Similar to what Circular has said, Samsung’s Hon Pak states glucose monitoring will be a “game-changer;” however, that’ll only be the case if they “do it right.”