After US Import Ban, Ultrahuman Plans Redesigned Smart Ring

Days after the US International Trade Commission (ITC) ruling imposed an import ban on its smart rings, wearables and fitness company Ultrahuman is now recalibrating its US hardware strategy. 

The Bengaluru-headquartered company said it had prepared for this outcome and a redesigned version of its smart ring is now in the works and being reviewed by US authorities. 

Production of the new model is scheduled to start on September 10, according to Mohit Kumar, founder and CEO of Ultrahuman. He also said the shipments of the new updated rings would likely begin by late October. Notably, the ITC has allowed Ultrahuman until October 21 to import its rings into the US. 

The Ultrahuman CEO, however, claimed that the ban’s impact will be limited. “There could be a hit for two to three weeks, but not much longer. We already have a redesigned product ready, and once approved, we will be able to import and sell again in the US,” Kumar told Inc42.  

Ultrahuman’s India-US Supply Chain

The company expects the new batch to meet at least 50–60% of US demand in the first phase. Kumar added that the company has enough factory capacity after expansions last year, giving it the flexibility to scale quickly if required.

At the same time, the startup is exploring US manufacturing to reduce tariff exposure and sidestep import risks. 

When asked whether Ultrahuman would consider importing components from India and assembling them in the US, Kumar clarified that the company already runs a hybrid model.

“In India, we do full-scale manufacturing, from PCB and SMT (surface mounting technology) to casting, CNC machining, polishing, programming, and final finishing. In the US, we follow a slightly different model. Some of the PCB and SMT work is done locally, but certain SMT processes are outsourced to US-based vendors. This gives us speed and flexibility as we scale in the US market,” Kumar said.

The legal tussle with Oura, however, is far from over. A final ruling on the disputed patents is expected from the ITC in November. Ultrahuman, along with Samsung, has also filed petitions challenging the validity of Oura’s patents.

For now, Kumar insists Ultrahuman will keep defending its IP while doubling down on product and software expansion. “This is not a straight-line journey. There will be challenges, but we’re building for the long term,” he said.

Notably, last week Delhi High Court also dismissed Ultrahuman’s patent infringement lawsuit against Oura saying that Ultrahuman suppressed the US ITC’s ruling in favour of Oura.

Tackling Trump Tariffs

Besides the import ban which was on the cards and expected by the company, Ultrahuman also has a new challenge this year: the newly introduced Donald Trump tariffs on imports from India.  

Currently, tariffs impact Ultrahuman’s margins by about 10–13%. Still, Kumar noted that the business remains profitable. “Yes, tariffs are painful compared to before, but we’ve managed to stay profitable. If they ease, our margins will only improve,” Kumar said.

Notably, Ultrahuman sells for about $350 in the US, compared to Oura’s average pricing of about $300. If the tariffs continue, eventually the company will have to pass it on to its consumers, which might make Ultrahuman’s already expensive positioning difficult.

“We haven’t passed on the tariff burden to users yet. Long term, it really depends on factors like the dollar rate. In consumer electronics, people are often willing to pay for design. The question is, can they pay $100 more? I think so. Will some users drop out because of higher prices? Absolutely. Maybe around 30% could drop off, but not 90%. If the product goes to $400, that’s still acceptable for a large base of customers,” Kumar said.