Microsoft Band 2 Wants To Be The Future Of Fitness

Microsoft has revealed the second generation of its Band fitness tracker.

The Microsoft Band 2 brings the power of Windows 10 to your wrist, the company says, offering greater interactivity with apps such as Cortana as well as smarter software than any of its wearables to date.

Able to track more information than its predecessor, the Microsoft Band 2 will work with iOS and Android devices as well as featuring a Windows universal app, meaning you can track your progress and training using the Web Dashboard companion program on a computer or tablet and really enjoy the personal aspects of big data.

Smarter

Featuring an all-new curved AMOLED display made of Gorilla Glass 4, the Microsoft Band 2 now packs in 11 unique sensors, including an optical heart rate sensor, gyroscope, and for the first time, a barometer. All of this means that the device can track your daily activity, including step counts, floors climbed and calories burnt, as well as detecting specific kinds of exercise such as running or cycling and monitoring your sleep quality.

It also sports built-in GPS, meaning that users no longer need to rely on being near a smartphone to track their data, as everything is stored in the device itself before being uploaded to Microsoft Health once a Bluetooth connection is found.

Thanks to an upgraded battery, the Band 2 will reportedly feature a 48 hour battery life, and can charge fully from just one and a half hours of charging.

The Microsoft Band 2 will cost $249 and is available to pre-order now, before going on general sale starting in the US from October 30, with other markets to follow soon after.

The first generation of the Microsoft Band, which was compatible with Apple, Android and Windows Phone devices, only went on sale in the UK back in April.

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