Microsoft has unveiled the second generation of its fitness-tracking wearable – the new Microsoft Band.
The new smartband was unveiled today at Microsoft’s product launch event by the company’s senior comms manager for Microsoft Band, Lindsey Matese.
“What would cyclists, golfers, and gym rats want?,” said Matese. “We kept grinding to push the product.”
The new Band ships with a key design change – the glass is now curved, which should result in a comfier fit.
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The Band is powered by Microsoft Health, which gives users access to fitness data, graphs, charts, and detailed analytics.
It also features Cortana integration. If you miss a workout, for instance, Cortana can reshcedule it for you.
With the new band, Microsoft has added an 11th sensor – a barometer – so you can see elevation changes in real time. That’s a nifty feature for hiking enthusiasts.
The new Microsoft Band can also work out your VO2 max – your maximum volume of oxygen intake – which is unique amongst the current wearables roster.
Microsoft also showed off a number of Band partner services, which include Uber, Subway, Gold’s Gym, Runkeeper, MyFitnessPal, Facebook, and Lose It.
Related: Best Fitness Trackers 2015
You can pre-order the new Band later today, and it goes on sale from October 30 for $249.
What do you think of the new Microsoft Band? Let us know in the comments.
Check out our smartphone buyer’s video guide 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.
