Ahead of Apple Watch, Microsoft beefs up its Band with new cycling trackers, blood oxygen calculator
With the Apple Watch set to launch in a matter of hours, Microsoft this week announced new capabilities for its own wearable device, including support for new cycling apps, as well as the ability to measure cardiovascular fitness through blood oxygen levels.
The iOS-compatible $199 Microsoft Band has gained support for both MapMyRide and Strava. With an update to the Microsoft Health app, cycling data from the third-party services can be shared and integrated into the company's health tracking platform.
Both of these services can now be added through the official Microsoft Health app for iOS, under the "Connected Apps" menu. Still absent from the app, however, is integration with Apple's HealthKit, though Microsoft assured AppleInsider last fall that support for the Health app in iOS 8 is forthcoming.
More updates for the Microsoft Band are also coming as early as next week including a "VO2 max" calculator. This new capability determines the maximum volume of oxygen used during exercise, helping the wearer to determine their cardiovascular fitness level.
Microsoft said the new features will arrive "as early as April 27," but didn't give a specific timeframe. The full list of new capabilities, according to Microsoft, are:
The iOS-compatible $199 Microsoft Band has gained support for both MapMyRide and Strava. With an update to the Microsoft Health app, cycling data from the third-party services can be shared and integrated into the company's health tracking platform.
Both of these services can now be added through the official Microsoft Health app for iOS, under the "Connected Apps" menu. Still absent from the app, however, is integration with Apple's HealthKit, though Microsoft assured AppleInsider last fall that support for the Health app in iOS 8 is forthcoming.
More updates for the Microsoft Band are also coming as early as next week including a "VO2 max" calculator. This new capability determines the maximum volume of oxygen used during exercise, helping the wearer to determine their cardiovascular fitness level.
Microsoft said the new features will arrive "as early as April 27," but didn't give a specific timeframe. The full list of new capabilities, according to Microsoft, are:
- Comparative Insights: Measures data such as daily steps, sleep, workout frequency and calorie burn and compares it to similar Microsoft Health customers based on body type (height and weight). Customers looking for motivation can use comparative insights as a benchmark to understand their health relative to similar people.
- Sleep Recovery: Good sleep is the foundation of health, and something everybody does and needs. Microsoft Band tracks the length and quality of sleep. Use the Microsoft Health web dashboard to analyze sleep restoration, sleep efficiency, and wake-ups, to find out how well the body restores its resources during sleep.
- Fitness Benefit: Track fitness progress using historical data to measure improvement over time.
- VO2 Max: VO2 max refers to the maximum volume of oxygen used during exercise, and is the primary indicator of cardiovascular fitness. Traditionally, measuring VO2 Max is cumbersome. Not anymore. Microsoft Band estimates VO2 max based on heart rate information. Now customers can track how their VO2 max increases as they improve fitness level and achieve their wellness goals, simply.
- Run/Exercise Observations: Get more out of run and workout data with in-depth observations and insights. With a week of data, customers can determine which day of the week and at what time of day they perform best. Using historical data from as far back as five weeks, customers can track whether they're maintaining, progressing, or need to re-dedicate themselves. Analyze detailed stats to find specific aspects of runs and workouts that can be improved.
Comments
It may not be the prettiest device, but at least it isn't a Watch ripoff and it'll provide some honest competition.
No thanks. It's a ripoff. The Apple Watch can do far more and it doesn't look like heck.
How can it be a ripoff when it came out before ?Watch? Still I think this is more of a niche device and ?Watch's biggest success will be that it's multi purpose, that it's not just a fitness device. And I'm glad to see Apple is going slow on sensors. I'd rather have a few sensors that were really accurate than a bunch that were thrown in a device so they could be put on a spec sheet.
How can it be a ripoff when it came out before ?Watch? Still I think this is more of a niche device and ?Watch's biggest success will be that it's multi purpose, that it's not just a fitness device. And I'm glad to see Apple is going slow on sensors. I'd rather have a few sensors that were really accurate than a bunch that were thrown in a device so they could be put on a spec sheet.
Ripoff in terms of price and it looks. It looks like a fit bit or a fuel band.... For $199 a Pebble or Moto Watch seems like a better buy.
Which one of you is right?
Still I blame Angela for not forseeing this from Microsoft. /s
#BlameAngela
This isn't an Apple Watch "competitor." For those in the market for a workout-centric specific device, it seems OK.
I'd be curious just how accurate the VO2 measurement is. While comparative measurements (day-over-day) are fine to show progress, the science behind VO2 max is predicated on some accuracy. If this is off by more than a couple percent (likely) it is not going to particularly useful for serious athletes.
I hear if you die using it the screen goes blue ...
Did they hold a mock funeral for ?Watch yet? I hope they do it seems to bring good luck to Apple.
Ask the question ... Had Apple never announced way back it was going to make an ?Watch, would Microsoft and the rest of the copycats gone down this road? Had Apple announced they were going to make a health necklace or a hearing aid with Siri in your ear, I am sure they'd all have them ... :no:
When did Apple officially announce that they were going to make a watch?
When did A
When did Apple officially announce that they were going to make a watch?
I think it was round about the same time they announced they were working on a TV.
I'd have to check but a while ago. It was a surprise to everyone on AI that they pre announced so far ahead I seem to remember. / 2 minutes later ...
http://www.apple.com/live/2014-sept-event/
Almost 8 months ago is not 'awhile ago'. Though it was rumored there was no official word. It's more of a ripoff of the Fitbit than the Apple Watch.
No thanks. It's a ripoff. The Apple Watch can do far more and it doesn't look like heck.
A ripoff of what? The Apple Watch?
One thing about ?Watch that I like is Apple isn't superficially trying to make it look like a traditional watch. Jony Ive said it doesn't make sense to compare a traditional watch to the functionality and capabilities of ?Watch.
Interesting, I'd say that the ?Watch looks superficially like any rectangular traditional watch I've ever seen. And Ive is right, the functionality and capabilities of the watch doesn't make sense to compare to a traditional watch because the ?Watch can do so much more.
Jony Ive also said that as soon as the customer wears something, they have the expectation of choice. It's clear he wasn't referring just to size and color since Apple already offers those options, so no need to single them out for the ?Watch. What he was most likely referring to of course is fashion -- a concept that uniquely places form over function. And it's clear Apple is going out of its way to exploit the fashion aspect of the watch, they've even becomes a watch band manufacturer. I see nothing to suggest that Apple will not explore every possible stylistic and fashion angle of the watch, color, shape, or size.