TORONTO – Microsoft has officially entered the wearable tech race with the unveiling of “Microsoft Band,” a fitness tracker designed to integrate with users’ smartphones.
The bracelet-style device monitors user’s daily fitness goals – from steps taken, to calories burned – and includes a heart rate monitor. Band can also synch with the user’s smartwatch to display notifications.
The device has a UV sensor to help users decide if they need sunscreen or not.
Microsoft will compete against tech giants Apple, Google and Samsung, who have all released fitness bands with similar features.
The official announcement comes a week after Forbes published a report speculating Microsoft was gearing up to launch the device ahead of the holiday season.
READ MORE: Is Microsoft gearing up to launch an Apple Watch rival?
This could give the device, available in the U.S. Thursday, a leg up on what is sure to be one of its biggest competitors – the Apple Watch. Apple’s smartwatch will not be on sale in time for the holidays. In fact, Apple has yet to announce a release date for its long-awaited smartwatch other than “early 2015.”
But Band also stands out for being a cross-platform device – meaning it can be used with iOS, Android and Windows Phone.
This approach stands in stark contrast to Samsung and Apple’s devices, which only work with the companies’ own smartphones.
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Similar to Apple, Microsoft is offering three different sizes in the device – small, medium and large – to better fit user’s wrist. Apple, on the other hand, will offer two sizes of its Apple Watch. According to Microsoft’s website, Band needs a proper fit to accurately read the user’s heart rate.
The device retails for US$199. Microsoft has not yet announced a price point or release date for Canada.
In addition to the fitness band, Microsoft also shared more details about its health monitoring service “Microsoft Health.”
The cloud-based service will allow users to synch data from a variety of apps, including Run Keeper and My Fitness Pal. The data will be filtered through Microsoft’s “Intelligence Engine,” to provide insight on how to reach fitness goals.
“Once the algorithms know enough about you and your biometrics in a steady state, they will recognize patterns and opportunities to improve your health and fitness,” Zulfi Alam, general manager of personal devices stated, said in a blog post.
“These proactive insights, or the ‘Intelligence Engine’ as we like to call it, are what will differentiate Microsoft Health, Microsoft Band and our products in the years to come.”
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