Microsoft Band was announced in late 2014. It is a smart band that was created and developed by Microsoft. The band incorporates health-oriented capabilities and fitness tracking utilizing Bluetooth connectivity to integrate with Windows Phone, Android and iOS smartphones.
The Microsoft Band incorporates 10 sensors, including capacitive sensor, optical heart rate monitor, skin temperature sensor, three-axis accelerometer, UV sensor, gyrometer, galvanic skin response sensor, GPS, ambient light sensor, and a microphone.
However, the device has some shortcomings that users have complained about. It is bulky, has an easily scratchable screen and poor battery life – its battery runs for 2 days when fully charged. Users have also complained that the device is expensive and that it is not waterproof and needs more apps.
Microsoft is now working on a successor of the Microsoft Band, the Microsoft Band 2. WinFuture.de claims via Windows Central that this new device is already well into development stage and may launch soon. As anyone would expect, Microsoft might address the many issues with the first Band.
We believe that Microsoft has taken a lot of feedback from the original Band and had already begun fixing them for Band 2. In that respect, we expect some changes in design, more resilient materials, and added features, but at the same price point.
According to WinFuture.de, Microsoft wants to tie in the launch of the Band 2 with the launch of Windows 10, so the Band may run on a version of Window 10 rather than the custom firmware used on the original Band.
Even though we have not heard anything tangible about the hardware features of the Microsoft Band 2, there is one aspect to this rumor that’s a bit interesting: apparently, European branches of Microsoft are working hard on the Band 2, suggesting that broader international availability could be part of the company’s strategy with this new model.
Microsoft learned from the first generation of Windows 8 and the Surface that building something in secret doesn’t always work out. That’s why the Surface Pro 3 and Windows 10 are resonating well because the company is now building the products more openly.
In developing the Microsoft Band 2, the company is following the same track. It is going for a slow rollout, gathering feedback in the process, and then going back to the drawing board to do a better job, incorporating some reactions from the users of the original product.
