No MS Band 3.0 for 2016?

[SorenCG]

I got my replacement Band 2 a few days ago and now I realize that :smile:my first one was a dud to begin with . It must have had a bad battery and maybe that's what eventually killed it. My new band goes through its battery half as slowly as the original one that broke. I can actually use it for sleep tracking now.... This new battery life makes wearing a Band so much more usefull.

 

[luxnws]

Take a look at Engadget when the Band was first announced. A number of reviewers were saying the same thing - that MS's real game was the back end. And it looked ripe with Google leaving the health records, and Apple being only for users of it's ecosystem. But 18 months later, it seems that vision has stalled. No one else has jumped in. Everyone is still pursuing their walled garden instead of joining forces. I'm wondering how long MS will go it alone.

Companies don't cooperate unless they have to cooperate. Right now, Microsoft isn't even in the top five fitness device makers so they aren't in a position to determine the standards. Band is still in its infancy so I'm guessing that third party apps aren't necessarily chomping at the bit to get on the Microsoft Band bandwagon.

Also, several of the better known third party apps were acquired by some large manufacturers so they don't have as much of an incentive to integrate more with the Band.

For the Healthvault part of the vision, off the cuff guess, I would guess that only Apple can take health data collected by consumer devices to the point where it will be recognized as useful (not talking about fitness enthusiasts or professionals who already rely on data to improve performance and overall health) and considered relevant by health care professionals. I don't think a Garmin or even a Fitbit has that kind of influence right now. Even Apple isn't close to that point yet with Apple Watch.

 

[Wookieekiller]

I wish Microsoft would release a smartwatch instead, I mean I like some of the 'health' features the Band 2 has but I think a lot more people would like a real smartwatch like the iwatch or whatever they call it. Maybe one with speakers, a larger screen and an actual OS on it like IoT or something.

 

[luxnws]

More competition there. The traditional watchmakers are entering the smartwatch market. A Band smartwatch would be lost in a sea of smartwatches.

They should showcase IoT if they really believe that Windows IoT and the cloud is Microsoft's ultimate goal for the future.

 

[Dan Harris]

Based off the MB1 though, you can expect that as soon as a 3rd gen. is announced that changes to the Band 2 will likely halt.

They didn't get everything (software wise) out of the Band 1, they could have added pretty much everything the Band 2 has. I accept it was a decision to try and get people to upgrade, but I decided to stick with my original Band and got it replaced on warranty recently, so it's in mint condition still now.

I am hoping for a Band 3 to be released this year, because I think that will have significant improvements over both the Band 1 and Band 2, and skipping a generation on an annual product (if it becomes one) is the norm for a lot of people and something I'm happy to do.

 

[Dan Harris]

Personally I'm not that interested in a smartwatch from Micrsoft. I wouldn't object to them releasing two distinct products though.

The band gives glanceable updates and fitness features and does that at a decent price point (IMO). A smart watch would end up being more expensive, along the lines of the Apple Watch.

Everybody has different wants though, and I'm not saying they won't or shouldn't release one, just that it should be a separate product. The Band isn't designed to pull you into reading a ton of content like a Smartwatch has the potential to, it's just something to quickly glance at and it's good at that.

 

[Brian Gobrecht]

I doubt that MS will release a smartwatch. Being a semi flop from Apple (didn't release sales numbers meaning it didn't sell well to apple) i think the band and similar products is the key for right now and the next few years. There are too many things going on in and on the apple watch not to mention if you use it regularly from what i have personally experienced and have heard it doesn't last a day. Even with updates to software (apple) and firmware (MS Band) battery life is key and Fitbit is strangely getting it right for the time being.