Apple isn’t abandoning AI-powered health guidance, but it’s likely holding back until the tech is useful enough to deliver real value.

As funding concentrates among fewer companies, smaller players may need to sharpen differentiation.

Lab testing company Function Health raised a $298 million oversubscribed Series B funding round, bringing the company’s valuation to $2.5 billion. Consumer adoption of cash-pay wellness services is surging, though offerings exceeding $1,000 all-in may see constrained demand. Companies entering D2C lab testing should avoid overpromising the value of testing hundreds of biomarkers, ground their claims in solid science, and be transparent about pricing—including add-on costs.

Oura Ring sales have surpassed 5.5 million since first being offered in 2015, with over half of those sales coming since June 2024. Oura could leverage its vast market appeal and endorsements from mega-celebrities to develop a wrist-worn device that would help the company compete against Apple, Samsung, and Google/Fitbit in the broader health wearables space. But Oura could be at a disadvantage against those companies if it’s going to lean on its smart ring as a do-it-all health-tracking product, since some of those capabilities (e.g., displaying pace, distance, and heart rate during a run) are more conducive to having a device with a screen.

Google will soon unveil an AI-powered personal health coach for the Fitbit app. Powered by Gemini, the health coach will be available to Fitbit Premium subscribers. Google will roll out a preview in October with the latest Fitbit trackers, Fitbit smartwatches, and Pixel Watches. Our take: The AI arms race has hit the health app and wearables space, and Google/Fitbit beat rivals to the punch with an AI personalized health coach. Highly customized health recommendations will be a must-have in the next iteration of digital health tools. Players in this space must ensure their AI-delivered guidance is reliable, while not turning off consumers with pricey subscription requirements.

The news: Oura is partnering with Maven Clinic to integrate smart ring data with providers’ care and treatment plans. Our take: We think it will take a while for providers to incorporate device data into the decisions they make for patients, which are typically based on clinical research studies and medical literature. Oura shouldn’t bet too heavily on securing doctors’ trust, and instead home in on the recent advancements it’s making on using AI to drive a better consumer experience.

Oura debuts AI Advisor, Apple plans AI doctor in health app revamp: AI health agents add personalized advice and recommendations, but they should be viewed as helpful advice versus medical assessments.

US wearables forecast 2025: Health and wellness features are driving consumer adoption of wearables. AI-powered capabilities could be next. But doctors aren’t as enthusiastic about relying on health data in their practice—yet.

US smart wearable users will surge past 100 million by 2025 as AI capabilities drive adoption. Generational preferences, device convergence, and rising form factors like smart glasses and rings will reshape the market through 2028.

Investments in women’s health startups are alarmingly low: Yet startups addressing conditions such as menopause have seen success when VC funding has gone their way, showing that investments in the space have a high potential for viable returns.

Keep it simple, smart, and familiar: Forget futuristic pendants and pins—AI wearables that look like regular gear but pack powerful features will be the ones capturing market share in 2025.

Consumers and physicians disagree on the value of health wearables: If wearable makers are able to foster physician trust in the data generated by their devices, they could gain an edge in uptake from consumers eager to share their health data.

Dexcom, Oura partner to integrate glucose and biometric data: The tie-up should be a symbiotic one that draws customers to each company’s devices as consumers look to uncover more information about their health.

Though its latest ring features enhanced biometric tracking and a redesigned app, Oura’s subscription model might push consumers to Samsung’s or RingConn’s alternatives.

A focus on longer battery life and lighter design could secure a lead over Samsung in the high-growth wearables market.

Oura Ring Gen 3 hit the market—we stack it up against Fitbit Versa 3: We tried it and think it needs better software and more features to compete against popular health-tracking wearables.