Oura Ring update improves accuracy of step count and calories burned

(Credit: Oura)

• 🚶 Oura is updating its Oura Ring with improved step count accuracy

• 👟 A new algorithm will be used to more accurately determine when movement is caused by a step

• 🔥 Burned calories will also be more accurate with this update

• 🏋️‍♀️ Oura is also updating Automatic Activity Detection and adding the ability to log workouts from the past seven days

• 💍 The updates are rolling out now to all Oura Ring users

After releasing an update with glucose monitoring integration, Oura is starting to roll out a new upgrade for Oura Ring users that’ll help track step counts more accurately.

A new Real Steps algorithm is being released, which will help detect movement from the steps you take more accurately while wearing the ring, treating it more like a pedometer than ever before. That way, when your day is over, you’ll get a better picture of how many steps you took so you can stay on top of your goals.

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Oura says that the new algorithm will likely decrease your step count by up to 20%, but the end result will more closely represent the amount of steps you take each day regardless.

That’s not the only metric getting more accurate with today’s update. Your Oura Ring will also better track the amount of calories you burn during exercise. It’ll rely on heart rate measurements to determine the intensity of each workout you log, which in turn could increase or decrease your total amount of burned calories depending on what you’re doing.

In addition, Oura says that its Automatic Activity Detection feature will now log fitness metrics like running splits with the new update. It’ll use your phone’s GPS in order to track running and walking more accurately. The Oura Ring’s all-day activity tracking feature will also operate all night, including between 12 AM and 4 AM, in case you go for a late-night jog. Finally, Oura says your heart rate data will be included in any data you import from third-party apps like Apple Health, Android Health Connect, Strava, and more.

These updates are starting to roll out to all Oura Ring users now on both iOS and Android.

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Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.