Bloomberg Businessweek – "Wearables for Women"

Date: March 17, 2026
Hosts: Carol Massar & Tim Stenovec
Guest: Hallie Shelton, Chief Product Officer, Oura Health

Episode Overview

This episode of Bloomberg Businessweek's Women's Health segment explores the intersection of technology and women's health, focusing on the rapidly evolving world of wearables. The conversation zeroes in on how products like the Oura Ring are shifting the narrative from basic health tracking to personalized, proactive daily health companions—especially for women, whose physiological needs have historically been underserved by both research and the market. Hallie Shelton, CPO of Oura Health and former Apple executive, shares how her team is using AI and design philosophy to empower women through actionable health insights.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Shift: From Trackers to Proactive Health Companions

• Oura Ring’s Role:
  • The Oura Ring offers 24/7 continuous monitoring, transforming passive data collection into proactive health management.
• AI Integration:
  • Shelton describes a two-fold application of AI:
    • Detection and Prediction (deep machine learning translates signals into actionable insights)
    • Conversational Engagement (large language models enable interactive, personalized dialogue with users)
  • Quote:
    • "We're now moving from something that was like a tracker to truly this proactive health companion." — Hallie Shelton (02:42)

2. Balancing Technology and Mindfulness

• Quiet Technology Philosophy:
  • Oura strives to provide meaningful insights without intrusive notifications, aiming for a product that users can almost forget is there.
• Design Priorities:
  • Comfort, accuracy, and longevity are key.
  • Quote:
    • "We really believe that...this should be a product or something that you can put on your body and almost forget about. It should just be there when you need it and out of your way when you don't." — Hallie Shelton (03:56)

3. Women's Health: A Historically Neglected Market

• Underfunded & Underresearched:
  • Host notes that women’s health research has often lagged, and that symptoms and needs are routinely dismissed.
  • Shelton emphasizes Oura’s commitment to centering women's experiences and cycles in product development.
• Beyond Reproductive Health:
  • Oura's features address every phase of the reproductive cycle, not just fertility/pregnancy.
  • Quote:
    • "We're trying to move the needle on proactive and preventative health...for women, we can't do that without deeply understanding their unique physiology at every phase of their reproductive cycle." — Hallie Shelton (05:14)

4. Actionable, Personalized Insights for Women

• Cycle-Specific Data:
  • Features track period onset, contraception, pregnancy, and perimenopause.
  • The app’s feedback is tailored to cycle phases (e.g., luteal or follicular), making daily readiness and sleep scores more relevant for women.
  • Quote:
    • "The insight messages that we give to people are all in context of where they are in their cycle." — Hallie Shelton (06:38)

5. Looking Ahead: New Developments at Oura

• Product Pipeline:
  • When asked about upcoming new rings, Shelton teases new developments but offers no specifics.
  • Quote:
    • "Can't share that, but we're working on some really exciting things. So stay tuned." — Hallie Shelton (07:23)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the value of proactive, personalized health:
  • "This is the first time where we've had these products...continuously measuring you." — Hallie Shelton (02:42)
• Reflecting traditional industry gaps:
  • "Women's health is at the forefront for us...we feel responsibility to do better." — Hallie Shelton (05:14)
• On quiet technology:
  • "It's not going to beep at you, it's not going to buzz at you, it's not going to take attention. Instead, we're thinking a lot about how do we connect you back to yourself." — Hallie Shelton (03:56)
• How Oura handles personalized health messages:
  • "If you're in your luteal phase...if you're pregnant, the insight messages that we give to people are all in context of where they are in their cycle." — Hallie Shelton (06:38)

Timestamps of Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:44 | Start of Women’s Health segment introduction | | 02:01 | Hallie Shelton’s background and introduction | | 02:42 | Discussion on AI and daily health in wearables | | 03:34 | The balance between technology engagement and quiet design | | 04:42 | Technology’s positive role in bridging women’s health gap | | 05:14 | Oura’s approach to women’s health and physiological data | | 06:08 | Personalized user insights—how Oura differentiates for women| | 07:17 | Tease about upcoming Oura ring products |

Episode Tone and Feel

The conversation is thoughtful yet optimistic, blending a sense of urgency about women’s health equity with enthusiasm for the potential of advanced technology to close the gap. Hallie Shelton’s responses are both earnest and forward-thinking, making clear Oura’s intention to lead in personalized health for women.

Summary prepared for listeners seeking key insights and discussion highlights—without the need to listen to the entire episode.