Strava users have always been able to link devices, like the best smartwatches, to import activity data into the app. However, a new integration with smart ring maker Oura will allow Strava users to sync information from their Oura Ring as well.
Currently, the Oura Ring ranks first in our buying guides for the best smart ring and best sleep tracker. Oura doesn't exactly focus on activity in the way Strava users expect from connected devices: it analyzes steps, heart rate and estimates calories, yes, but it also looks closely at sleep, temperature and blood levels. users' energy to develop a picture of their overall health, rather than focusing on fitness.
It can monitor and record activity, but it's more interested in the impact of said activity than in sharing routes and splitting the paces of your last few runs. However, the Oura/Strava integration will allow Oura users to share pre- and post-exercise statistics, such as readiness and sleep scores.
ZIpporah Allen, chief commercial officer at Strava, said: “Chasing your personal best means nurturing your entire wellbeing. That’s why we’re dedicated to integrating trusted partners into Strava, ensuring our athletes have the tools they need to optimize every aspect of their active lives.”
Although you can tag workouts throughout the day in your Oura app, uploading these metrics to Strava allows you to put everything in one place. Once synced with your Strava account, choosing Share to Strava from your Oura account uploads an image of a supported metric, such as Preparedness or Sleep, from your Oura account.
Analysis: niche, but revealing
Let's be real: We don't imagine many Oura users would be all that interested in uploading an image of their daily fitness score to Strava. But it could be useful in some cases: for example, you could use a cycling computer or running watch to record your workouts and sleep with a smart ring.
Being able to upload recovery statistics also ensures that you only need to scroll through Strava to see a complete “holistic” picture of your health collected from multiple devices.
It's interesting to see that Strava is lending a hand to smart ring users, though perhaps not surprising given that 2024 looks to be the year of the smart ring, with multiple devices from Samsung and Honor in development, and Apple reportedly mulling over the merits. of the form factor. Offering integrations with smart rings is now a smart way for Strava to stay ahead of the curve.
The really exciting stage will come when smart rings are finally advanced enough to offer watch-quality GPS in addition to heart rate, sleep, steps, and the like. It won't happen for many years yet, but there may come a time when smaller smart devices start to replace smartwatches, uploading GPS data from runs and walks directly to Strava without the need for any other devices.
