Fitness trackers are big business, so it’s no surprise Sony’s ailing Mobile division is keen to bank on the trend.
Sony has just announced a brand new activity-tracking wearable that follows on from the original Sony SmartBand.
Unsurprisingly, the new entrant is called the SmartBand 2, and comes packing a host of upgrades and new features.
This announcement doesn’t come as a surprise. Sony accidentally unveiled the SmartBand 2 back in June via the Google Play store.
So what exactly can the SmartBand 2? The headline feature is an advanced heart rate sensor.
Heart rate tracking was absent on the original SmartBand, so we’re glad to see Sony has sprung for the increasingly common tech this time around.
There’s also a notification system that works through “subtle” vibrations and coloured LEDs.
That means you can use the band to keep track of calls, messages, e-mails, and general social notifications.
Black, white, pink, and indigo colour options
And, of course, the SmartBand 2 tracks fitness metrics, so you can check out things like calories burned and distance travelled using Sony’s Lifelog app.
“We set out to create the most advanced wearable at this section of the market – SmartBrand 2 has the capability to deliver, and make biometric data meaningful for users within Lifelog,” explains Kaz Tajima, Sony Mobile’s senior VP of Creative Design.
Tajima adds: “Not only does it represent a powerful vision of how consumers can learn more about themselves – it allows us to explore exciting new opportunities with development partners.”
Related: Best Fitness Trackers 2015
The battery life is purported to be two days long, which isn’t fantastic, especially considering there’s no display on the device, unlike the SmartBand Talk.
Sony will kick off sales of the SmartBand 2 in September this year, with a retail price of 119 euros. UK pricing is yet to be confirmed.
Check out our ‘Apple Watch – Race Across London’ video below:
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
