Oura poaches Apple Health executive as its CEO teases rapid expansion ‘into the health-care world’

Laura Rosenberg | Nov 20 2023 - 10:18 am PT

Leading connected smart ring company, Oura, has hired Apple’s Health executive Jason Oberfest as head of Oura’s clinical strategy and healthcare work. The move from Oura is a part of its expanding network of partners, as reported by Bloomberg.

An Oura history

Launched as a Kickstarter campaign, Oura debuted its first-generation smart ring in 2015, with the second-generation ring coming out in 2018, and its latest – third-generation Oura Ring – introduced in 2021. Oura has become an industry leader in connected health tracking with the Oura Ring, which uses over 200 biometrics to give detailed and accurate insight into your health right from your finger. The Oura Ring tracks your sleep, physical activity, stress levels, heart rate levels and variability, menstrual cycle, and blood oxygen levels and features a powerful companion app with even more to explore regarding your overall health and wellness.

Since its inception, Oura has partnered with the likes of Gucci to create a custom ring with its third-generation technology and has been adopted by celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston and Prince Harry. Oura currently offers two styles of rings, the Horizon and the Heritage, which come in a variety of colorways and feature a sleek, comfortable design.

From Apple to Oura

Now, according to Bloomberg, Oura has brought Jason Oberfest on board, who was an Apple Health executive and a “key member of Apple’s health team.” Oberfest joined Apple after transitioning from a startup called Mango Health in 2018. As head of clinical strategy at Oura, Oberfest’s expertise in the connected healthcare world is a huge win for the smart ring company.

Oura’s CEO, Tom Hale, expressed his excitement and enthusiasm about bringing Oberfest onto Oura’s team, saying, “With Jason’s hiring, we are poised to delve deeper into the healthcare world,” also noting that his arrival “marks the start of a new chapter for Oura.” For the Finnish company, Oberfest’s arrival aligns with where Oura is trying to go in the healthcare space. Wanting to be more than just a health and wellness tracker, Oura is working toward expanding its versatility for users by legitimizing the Oura Ring into an actual health tool.

According to Hi Tech:

While Apple has continued to prioritize health and fitness in its wearable technology, Oura Ring has advanced its health-focused research and formed partnerships to position the smart ring as a holistic health tool. Notably, the company has inked a deal with a health e-commerce platform to facilitate the purchase of the ring through flexible healthcare spending accounts (FSAs).

9to5Mac’s Take

This is really exciting news for Oura. As I mentioned earlier, it’s a big win for the company to have successfully plucked an Apple Health executive to join their team, allowing for further expansion and exploration into what the Oura Ring could potentially bring to users in the future.

As someone who wears both an Oura Ring and an Apple Watch, I can attest to the incredibly insightful data the ring provides in comparison to what my Apple Watch provides. When looking at the two apps accompanying the two smart devices – Apple Fitness and Oura – Oura’s beats Apple’s by about a million miles. It’s got a better UI, a much more attractive aesthetic, and offers more features within the app than Apple Fitness does.

We’re looking forward to seeing what Oberfest and his wealth of knowledge bring to Oura as the company continues to expand its reach.