TIME Magazine Omits Garmin as Its Top Health Rankings Give Nod to Oura, Ultrahuman, and AliveCor

via: @Chuck, thank you

Q: Why did TIME Magazine exclude Garmin and Apple from its 2025 HealthTech Wearable rankings?  

The magazine partnered with Statista to produce its first World’s Top HealthTech Companies of 2025, ranking 400 companies based on financial performance (50%), reputation analysis (30%), and online engagement (20%). Several categories were covered, but the Medical Devices & Wearables category featured standout companies like Oura, Ultrahuman, and AliveCor, notably excluding giants like Garmin, Apple, and Whoop.

Overview of TIME’s HealthTech Rankings

The ranking evaluated companies across six HealthTech segments, with Medical Devices & Wearables focusing on devices aimed at proactive health monitoring. Time Magazine‘s methodology suggests rigorous criteria covering Financial performance (revenue per employee, funding), reputational analysis (social listening for sentiment/credibility), and online engagement measured through website traffic. Whilst the Wearables category had a good showing with 44 companies making the cut, the AI & Data Analytics category led with the most high-ranking companies, while Prevention had the fewest. This bias reflects a market shift toward AI-driven diagnostics over traditional fitness trackers.

The Wearables Companies that Made It

• Oura: Stands out with its Ring excelling in sleep and recovery tracking (HRV, body temperature), plus FDA-cleared fertility tracking via Natural Cycles. Its broad wellness appeal and modern design boost reputation and engagement.
• Ultrahuman: Offers a ring similar to Oura, with environmental and glucose monitoring tech. Its affordability aligns with the category’s push for accessible innovation.
• AliveCor: Lesser known, it’s bolstered by an ongoing legal battle with Apple, enhancing its medical credibility, similar to Masimo on the list.

The Omission of Garmin

Garmin is a fitness powerhouse, recently expanding into health features like stress, sleep monitoring, and health status, appealing to health enthusiasts.

Analysis suggests Garmin’s omission stems from its diversified business (e.g., marine, aviation), diluting health-specific financial scores, and a primary focus on fitness over medical products. Social media buzz also centres on fitness, not medical innovation.

Why Other Giants Like Apple and Whoop Were Also Left Out

Other major players were omitted. Apple’s exclusion mirrors Garmin’s—its diversification and consumer tech focus overshadow its health features. Whoop poses a puzzle: it develops in-house sensors with AI support (e.g., OpenAI for coaching), not broad licensing, and offers innovative ECG and Blood Pressure Insights (BPI).

Perhaps Whoop’s FDA warning hit its reputation, or its post-March 2025 cutoff launch (e.g., BPI) missed eligibility!

The Full List

Here’s the complete list of others to watch. Most are up-and-coming, not tech giants. Odd inclusions like Therabody (wellness-focused, less high-tech) stand out. Full list source: TIME.

https://the5krunner.com/2025/08/23/oura-whoop-beat-garmin-hrv-accuracy/

What This Signals for Wearables and HealthTech

Venture capital now prioritises investment in medical wearables for prevention. This boosts the commercial hopes of devices like Oura’s Ring and AliveCor’s ECG for at-home health insights. Blood pressure tech (e.g., Whoop’s BPI) also competes here, with AI driving diagnostics faster than expected. The future, once years away, is unfolding now.

Last Updated on 28 January 2026 by the5krunner

the5krunner

tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors.