[red grenadine]

Incredibly strange to me and wondering what the rationale is

[Summer_Moon]

Incredibly strange to me and wondering what the rationale is

Depends on which rumor you listen to. The biggest one being that they are exiting the wearable market.

I don't think that is the case. It seems to me that they are wanting to do more with the health aspect and may need a separate product for that (something like a reincarnation of health vault). The app previously labeled as Microsoft Health really actually didn't make a whole lot of sense. Sure the Band collected health information, but the app itself was very geared towards Band usage. I think they renamed it to realign with the fact that it is an app for the Microsoft Band. I suspect Microsoft Health may re-emerge as something that compiles the data pulled in through different sources such as Microsoft Band.

[Mattman86]

Perhaps they realized that the app was basically useless if you don't have a Band/Band 2. Therefor, renaming it to a name that better indicates the requirements might have been a better business move.

[DroidUser42]

It seems to me that they are wanting to do more with the health aspect and may need a separate product for that

Exactly. The only reason to rename is to make room for something else. Now, what exactly this means is anyone's guess. At this point we only have guesses, and not even good datapoints. I do agree that MS Band is a more accurate name than "health".

Personally, I think that MS's next wearable will be in a watch form factor. There's only so much you can do with a band. Even Fitbit has a watch in their line up. It strikes me as too early to give up on wearables altogether. (Which is what some sources claim.)

[Allen Rhodes]

Since they are cancelling the Lumia phones, it only makes sense to discontinue the Band as well. Soon they will stop making Windows 10 too. The future is in renewable bamboo wood floors. Windows will soon be in flooring.

[mtf1380]

Since they are cancelling the Lumia phones, it only makes sense to discontinue the Band as well. Soon they will stop making Windows 10 too. The future is in renewal bamboo wood floors. Windows will soon be in flooring.

That's funny (and sad).

[mikepalma]

@rodtrent who is the Band guru stated very clearly it was renamed to broaden it's appeal with iOS and Android smartwatches. Seems a little counterintuitive but he also says there will be no Band 3; plus let's face it, only us the .5% associate "Band" with Microsoft Band; most consumers don't know or care to know MS Bands even exist

[anon(6078578)]

The problem is Microsoft seem to be deliberately vague about discontinuing things ie they never come right out and say it. They leave it up to leaks, hearsay and rumors. It's almost as if they're afraid that if they say things outright everyone will scatter to the four winds immediately. I guess it leaves it open for them to re-enter the market much later while saying *cough* *cough* we never officially said that we were no longer producing product x or y!

[etphoto]

But like I said in another thread, why change the name of the app 5 minutes before cancelling the band line? Doesn't make sense.

Twitter: @PhotographyET

[DroidUser42]

But like I said in another thread, why change the name of the app 5 minutes before cancelling the band line? Doesn't make sense.

Take your pick:

• There will be no Band 3, but there will be a "Watch 1" or some other non-Band wearable that will use a different app.
• MS will have some other non-Band app called "Health".

Either one is a valid reason to rename the Band app. And I still haven't seen any solid proof it's getting canceled - just not where the development focus is.

[vezycash]

Question: Did Microsoft ever advertise Band on TV?

[Chintan Gohel]

Question: Did Microsoft ever advertise Band on TV?

Bigger question - did they actually distribute it to the world? I've only heard it being available in USA/UK

[George Ponder]

My hope is that this means a re-focus on wearables and we will see a Band 3. While the app was health oriented, it was utterly useless unless you had a Band.

My guess, we'll see a Band 3 with modest updates (better strap, water resistance, etc.) and a new/rebranded Health Vault style app that is not dependent on the Band.

[Summer_Moon]

But like I said in another thread, why change the name of the app 5 minutes before cancelling the band line? Doesn't make sense.

Twitter: @PhotographyET

They never officially stated they canceled the Band line. So until that happens as far as I'm concerned there may be a Band 3 but maybe not in the same form as the existing Bands

[vezycash]

There will be no Band 3, but there will be a "Watch 1"

In other words, following Apple to the grave.

And I still haven't seen any solid proof it's getting canceled - just not where the development focus is.

I don't know what to say. They didn't distribute in multiple countries nor advertise it.

Bigger question - did they actually distribute it to the world? I've only heard it being available in USA/UK

Cut the legs of a race horse, and kill it when it loses the race.

[uselessrobot]

Microsoft has this frustrating habit of turning a great idea into a half-baked product. They either make a mess of the marketing campaign or they ship with significant flaws. Then when the thing predictably flops the company seems to always blame the market. Instead of rectifying the shortcomings they abandon the project and move on to yet another unpolished idea with a ton of potential.

There's no sense of commitment and that's disappointing because I really like my Band. It's a travesty that it hasn't enjoyed much praise despite being, in my opinion, a better device than most wearables on the market. However, given all the reliability issues it's hard for me to encourage anyone to buy one. That and the fact that despite the regular software updates I have no confidence that Microsoft is committed the Band.

It's absurd that the Band works better with my iPhone than it did in the year I used it with the Lumia 950. I couldn't show off the smartwatch features because they almost never worked. I appreciate that Microsoft has continued to address those particular problems, but these are things that should have been resolved in the first month.

It could be argued that the Band's userbase was too small to devote resources to those issues. However, I think the current problem with Microsoft is that they're too fixated on the bottom line and not enough on instilling confidence and trust. It's an uphill battle for the company; they more than anyone needs products that are nearly flawless. Apple can enjoy a few stumbles because they enjoy such loyalty; Microsoft doesn't have that luxury.

[anon(6078578)]

I think part of the problem with the band is that it's too comprehensive for most people. Microsoft's issues with marketing aside, unless you're heavily into fitness related activities most users have no need for this, myself included, and just need a basic activity tracker.

They had this with the original health and fitness app. The replacement health app didn't work as well, being obviously meant more for use with the band. I now have a regular watch with a built in activity tracker which is just perfect for what I need.