Circular Ring 3 adds payments and vibration to the smart-ring formula

Circular's new Ring 3 generation is standing out at IFA because the company has added two functions still uncommon even among premium smart rings: NFC contactless payments and a built-in vibration motor. Both the Ring 3 Slim and Pro can therefore do more than silently collect health data. The vibration system supports alarms and notifications, while NFC gives owners a way to pay without reaching for a phone or smartwatch. The Pro model goes further with blood-pressure tracking.

Circular says the rings use titanium construction, offer 50-metre water resistance and can reach up to 12 days of battery life depending on model and use. Smart rings have gained popularity because they provide sleep and activity data in a smaller, less distracting form than a watch. Their limitation is that the absence of a display and speaker often reduces everyday utility. Payments and tactile alerts address that weakness without turning the ring into another tiny screen.

Circular still has to prove accuracy and reliability, but its feature direction is genuinely distinctive.