Smartwatches or fitness bands are our go-to devices if we want a device to monitor aspects of our health. But as technology evolves and sensors become smaller, we now have what we call smart rings. These things can do what fitness bands can do without the extra bulk so you can wear them longer. One of them is the mWell Ring.
mWell, by Metro Pacific Health Tech Corporation, is the digital healthcare arm of Metro Pacific Investments. The platform aims to bring healthcare solutions (pharmacy, insurance, emergency services, lab tests & clinics) to more Filipinos via its fully integrated health app. In addition to these services, the company also has wearables to help its customers stay fit. The mWell Ring is one of them.
The mWell Ring comes in Bronze, Silver, and Black, with sizes ranging from US 6 to 13. The package comes with its charger, cable, and manual. It features a titanium build which mWell says is highly durable, lightweight, scratch-resistant, and water-resistant.
It doesn’t feel like a metal ring, though. More like a high-quality resin. Still, it looks and feels good. It has a glossy finish with a transparent interior so you can see the sensors inside. It’s probably thicker than your usual ring, so that might take some getting used to but it’s more comfortable than a smartwatch and you almost won’t notice it while sleeping. Again, it’s water-resistant, so you can also take it with you in the showers. However, I’d recommend not wearing it when you’re engaged in activities where you might hit it on anything hard.
The ring can only be setup using the mWell app for Android or iOS. From there you can check your health metrics such as heart rate, average oxygen saturation, and sleep quality. If you check your mWellness Score you’ll also see other activities like exercise and steps and how long you’re doing it, including how long you are sedentary. All these data can also be shared with your Apple Health or Google Fit accounts.
However, unlike smartwatches and fitness bands, the mWell app can’t provide you with a live reading of your heart rate and oxygen saturation. Rather, it provides you with frequent readings throughout the day and then shows you a graph. I’m not sure if it’s a hardware or software limitation, but if it’s the latter, I hope it’ll get that feature with an update.
The mWell Ring boasts a battery life of up to 7 days, which is great considering its size. When it’s low, just put it in its wireless charging dock for a couple of hours and you’re good to go.
Smart rings are promising tech to help users monitor their health more comfortably. However, these things can be expensive with popular models costing USD 400. In the case of the mWell Ring, it’s just asking for PHP 8,999. You might say that for that price, you can opt for a smartwatch instead. Yes, but I don’t think mWell is trying to directly compete with those tech companies, instead it wants to use these devices to help people become more health-conscious which in turn will bring them to the mWell platform where they can get more comprehensive healthcare solutions.
You can buy the mWell Ring here: https://shop.mwell.com.ph/
