CES 2024 has delivered a lot of exciting product launches already, but for us, Amazfit's Helio Ring announcement was one of the most memorable ones, not least because it was completely unexpected. More information about the soon-to-be-launched smart ring emerged since the initial social posts appeared only, including specs, more pictures, and additional details on availability.
The new smart ring joins the ranks of the Oura Ring, the Ultrahuman Ring Air, and the RingConn Smart Ring, not to mention all the upcoming (often only existing on a rumour level) finger wearables, such as the Apple Smart Ring (which should be called Apple iRing, really) and the Samsung Galaxy Ring.
We already know the Amazfit Helio Ring is made from skin-friendly titanium alloy and weighs only 3.8 grams (size 10). The ring is water resistant to up to 10 ATM and provides advanced sleep, recovery and training support via its Zepp Aura AI smart assistant.
Since the initial announcement by Amazfit, Zepp provided an FAQ document as well as a full press release about the Helio Ring. While most of the information was already included on the ring's page at Amazfit, it's now much clearer in which segment the brand is trying to position the new wearable.
Additional documents published by Zepp emphasise that the Helio Ring is aimed at 'high-level athletes who want to understand how their recovery can be optimized for better performance' and to whom 'even a 0.1% margin can prove the difference between victory and defeat'.
It uses what's called the PeakBeats algorithm, which offers data like VO2 Max, Training Load and Training Effect. The Helio Ring will support third-party apps, including Strava, adidas Running, komoot, Relive, Google Fit and Apple Health.
Furthermore, using your historical running data and current physical fitness status, the Amazfit Helio Ring will be able to provide 'Race Achievement' predictions for hypothetical 3K, 2-mile, 3-mile, 5K, 10K, half-marathon, and full marathon distances. This sounds similar to 'Race Time Predictions' generated by Garmin watches.
In terms of recovery assistance, the Amazfit Helio Ring can monitor sleep quality and four sleep stages (light, deep, REM, awake time), plus sleep-breathing quality. It provides a Readiness score, which summarises 'your mental and physical recovery' every morning.
The ring has an EDA (Electrodermal Activity) sensor that tracks physical indicators like sweat from your hands, which may signify an emotional stressor on the body. Amazfit says EDA functionality won't be available at launch and will be added later via software update.
One interesting function is AI-powered soundscapes provided by the Zepp Aura rest and wellness subscription service. These tailored sleep melodies are said to adjust based on biometric data obtained while you sleep. Purchasing a Helio Ring will come with a free 3-month trial of Zepp Aura.
Current testing suggests that the Amazfit Helio Ring will last up to five days on one charge, but the brand adds that they are 'awaiting final testing results', which means this could change before launch.
Sadly, Amazfit says the price will only be announced when the product goes on sale, which is currently expected in March 2024. For more information, visit Amazfit's Helio Ring page.
