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Microsoft outs upcoming fitness ‘Band’ with premature Mac and iPhone app releases (updated)

Update: Microsoft has now announced the Microsoft Band, a $199 fitness band that does everything described below. It goes on sale Thursday.

Microsoft hasn’t officially announced its wearable device, but it seems the company has accidentally published its desktop syncing client to the Mac App Store early. Whoops. The device is called the Microsoft Band (possibly Lumia Band, according to some currently non-functional support URLs) and sports a 310 x 102 resolution display.

The Microsoft privacy policy for the app lists some of the Band’s features: “Microsoft Band sensors help you keep track of things like your heart rate, steps, calories burned, and sleep.” Links in the document claiming to lead to a page with additional data, such as a list of sensors, currently lead to a 404 page.

Other key feature include the ability to get phone notifications on the Band, create reminders using Cortana, and more:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEvjulEJH9w&channel=Microsoft]

The free app allows you to “Sync faster than with your phone while your device is charging over USB” and update or restore the operating system on the fitness-focused Band. The Band will apparently feature over 132 different backgrounds to choose from, according to users who tracked them down:

[tweet https://twitter.com/samsabri/status/527629339513208833 align=’center’]

There also appears to be some sort of Starbucks integration:

[tweet https://twitter.com/exiva/status/527630047830499328 align=’center’]

Mobile Apps

Similar iPhone and Android apps have also been released, presumably by accident. The Microsoft Health app description, as it’s called, can track health and fitness data like steps taken, heart rate, and sleep quality, likely by leveraging the Band hardware.

Live healthier and be more productive with the Microsoft Health app for iPhone®. Achieve wellness goals by tracking your heart rate, steps, calorie burn, and sleep quality. Maximize your fitness with Guided Workouts, 24-hour heart rate monitoring and automatic activity counting. Be more productive with email previews and calendar alerts at a glance. Personalize your Microsoft Band and get new features as they roll out.

Microsoft declined to comment on the release, but did tweet that the company is planning some sort of fitness events in its stores tomorrow…

[tweet https://twitter.com/microsoftstore/status/527495453051736066 align=’center’]

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Comments

  1. So many companies are making mistakes like this lately. What’s up?

    • lkernan - 9 years ago

      They need the apps up for launch but can’t predict the approval times?

      • ifunography - 9 years ago

        When configuring a new app (or app update) it’s possible to set it so that it’s made available on the App Store for download automatically, or require developer permission before being made available, so in the end it’s still someone’s screw up unfortunately.

    • They all want to collect your data. Either you give them $200 so they can collect it or they have to pay a competitor for it. If you buy this they REALLY win!

  2. Somebody had a itchy post finger

  3. leehericks - 9 years ago

    Oh man is that thing ugly and decide of personality.

  4. rogifan - 9 years ago

    How is this any different than Fitbit or other fitness bands? Seems like they’re a dime a dozen these days.

    • It has more sensors than any other band currently in the market, including onboard GPS so you can leave your phone behind during your workouts, UV sensor, and 24 hr heart rate monitoring. It’s also cross-platform and has a (claimed) 48 hr battery life. Not to mention Cortana integration when paired to a WP and third-party fitness app integration. What other device does all that for $199?

  5. Avenged110 - 9 years ago

    Man, with this level of breaking news coverage you’d think this was an Apple product launch…

  6. myke2241 - 9 years ago

    Seriously, WHY MS? not your arena! stick to office!

  7. Danny Guerra - 9 years ago

    I actually like it…looks like it can connect to the phone’s GPS and track runs…something a lot of the other fitness bands don’t do…

  8. rob nienburg (@robogobo) - 9 years ago

    This should be of great interest the literally hundreds of windows phone users!

  9. avonord - 9 years ago

    I am an Apple fanboy. But I actually like this as a fitness tracker more than the Apple Watch, and I’m in a market for one. I also like how it looks. The only reason that I won’t be buying this is because it will probably have crippled functionality when paired with an iPhone.

  10. Rahul Thial - 9 years ago

    Here is one more thing you should read before you buy Any high tech wearable “about its risk to health ” http://iwbag.com/tech/can-high-tech-wearable-technology-become-health-risk/5558/