That Fitbit is the world leader in wearable devices shouldn’t come as a surprise. The company has managed to dominate the wearable market with its stylish wearable devices for quite some time. However, a recent report by IDC indicates that Xiaomi Mi band is now the second most shipped wearable device in the world. This is some phenomenal feat considering the recent launch and subsequent rise of Xiaomi products.
Though the name and branding of the Mi band sound like it is a Xiaomi product, it actually isn’t. The product is made by Huami Technologies, a different company having its own CEO. The company also makes Xiaomi’s smart scale in addition to the Mi band.
Xiaomi Mi band was launched in August 2014 in mainland China and has since spread to Singapore, India, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Indonesia. Currently, it is also found in the U.S. and European shores. The product is among the first Xiaomi products to reach the West.
Mi Band Design
The design of the band has been kept simple. It has no buttons you need to press and comes in two parts: a fitness module and a rubber strap. It is water resistant with an IP67 rating, meaning you can even use it in wet conditions. Though the rubber strap is a bit uncomfortable when wet, you can adjust it so you can wear it to your preference – loose or tight.
The band has no screen but has three indicator lights that flash when you look at it the way you would look at your watch. But you have to have your arm fully extended at your side, and then raise it up like you’re looking at a watch before it works. The three lights show your walking progress for the day. When you hit your target, the lights will blink for a few seconds and the band will also vibrate to alert you. Users will need to take out the dongle for charging, but they will really only need to do this once every 30 days or so.
Mi Band App
The Mi Band app is also simple. It supports both English and Chinese. However, it provides no option to measure your caloric intake but just shows the steps you’ve taken and your sleep patterns, such as when you fell into deep sleep.
On the flipside, the Xiaomi Mi band is only compatible with Android 4.4 devices and the gesture motion to light up the indicator lights are hard to master.
