should we be worried about the future of the Microsoft band?

[DroidUser42]

I can't imagine the amount of time and resources they are putting into repairing all of the band 2s. This alone is probably reason for them to question the future of band.

That's a "learning experience" and not something inherent to the product.

 

[luxnws]

I can't imagine the amount of time and resources they are putting into repairing all of the band 2s. This alone is probably reason for them to question the future of band.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

Not unexpected when you consider that Microsoft has been making Bands for less than 3 years while sports device companies like Garmin have been at it for 10+ years. Fitbit hits the ten year mark next year.

 

[DroidUser42]

Going back to the article I posted, it seems MS is committed to MS Health. Health and wearable seem poised to be a big thing, and I'm not sure as the market is "settled". Even Apple seems to be struggling a bit. They dropped the "jewelry" aspect and moved more to fitness with their product.

I see two possibilities. One is that someone is about to sign onto the format. The other is that MS might be backing away from the band format. Other manufacturers (including Fitbit) have embraced "watch". So instead of Band 3, we might see MS Watch 1. It's possible that Band 2 might continue as a lower-end device to hold down that end of the market.

That might explain why they dumped the group that was trying to get WIn10 IOT running on Band. Without Win10, development and 3rd party apps are going to be hard, so it doesn't make sense for them to drop that group unless they were shifting focus to another product.

MS did a real good job of delivering Band 1 without warning. They might be ready to do it again.

 

[danckel]

it seems MS is committed to MS Health

I just received an update for my android phone with the news that the app is not called MS Health anymore...

 

[DroidUser42]

I just received an update for my android phone with the news that the app is not called MS Health anymore...

I saw the update but didn't pay close attention. Yeah, it's called "Microsoft Band" now. I'm not quite sure what to make of it. Are they vacating the "Heath" name for something else, or is MS's plans for fitness inseparable from "Band"?

I'm thinking the former. I can't imagine putting all of the health field into a single product.

 

[JDH58]

Just received the update to MS Health (now called MS Band version 2.0.20914.0) on 950XL and it also updated the Band 2 to build 2.0.5202.0 26R. Only announcement was the new name.

No update yet for the software on my Surface.

 

[JDH58]

ok, update came through for the PC version of the app. Again, only change I see is the name.

 

[luxnws]

Going back to the article I posted, it seems MS is committed to MS Health. Health and wearable seem poised to be a big thing, and I'm not sure as the market is "settled". Even Apple seems to be struggling a bit. They dropped the "jewelry" aspect and moved more to fitness with their product.

I see two possibilities. One is that someone is about to sign onto the format. The other is that MS might be backing away from the band format. Other manufacturers (including Fitbit) have embraced "watch". So instead of Band 3, we might see MS Watch 1. It's possible that Band 2 might continue as a lower-end device to hold down that end of the market.

That might explain why they dumped the group that was trying to get WIn10 IOT running on Band. Without Win10, development and 3rd party apps are going to be hard, so it doesn't make sense for them to drop that group unless they were shifting focus to another product.

MS did a real good job of delivering Band 1 without warning. They might be ready to do it again.

They could but if it is true that a new Band isn't coming out this year, that means more than a year since Band 2. Will people with broken Band 2s outside the warranty period wait for a Band 3 that might never be released?

The Fitbits and Garmins and Samsungs release several models per year and they are getting more features every iteration. Consumer attention spans are short.

 

[luxnws]

I saw the update but didn't pay close attention. Yeah, it's called "Microsoft Band" now. I'm not quite sure what to make of it. Are they vacating the "Heath" name for something else, or is MS's plans for fitness inseparable from "Band"?

I'm thinking the former. I can't imagine putting all of the health field into a single product.

Microsoft also has HealthVault which was supposed to be about medical data storage and subject to stricter privacy regulations as compared to the consumer version of Microsoft Health/Band.

 

[DroidUser42]

They could but if it is true that a new Band isn't coming out this year, that means more than a year since Band 2. Will people with broken Band 2s outside the warranty period wait for a Band 3 that might never be released?

Given MS's current market share, I don't think the existing users amount to much more than a big drop in the bucket. They need to come out with the right product and get new users if they plan to be successful.

 

[DroidUser42]

I admit I don't sign into the web portal very often, but I wonder how long this page has been there? It looks to me like they're thinking beyond just consumer devices.

 

[DroidUser42]

Next up, tell me if this doesn't have a familiar ring to it:

How this small wearable could help doctors spot Parkinson's earlier

"Thanks to their invention, the students recently picked up Microsoft Imagine Cup's World Championship and Innovation prizes, securing $50,000 to develop the product further.

"The device, called ENTy, aims to replace the bulky and expensive medical equipment currently used by doctors to assess balance problems. It has a simple strap that allows it to be worn on the head or the back to check balance and spine posture in real time.

"ENTy uses an algorithm that gathers real-time information from its sensors, which consists of an accelerometer, magnetometer, and gyroscope. Then, the data is sent to Microsoft's Azure SQL database for processing."

 

[tgp]

Given MS's current market share, I don't think the existing users amount to much more than a big drop in the bucket.

That's pretty much what Microsoft said when defending their decision to not upgrade WP7 devices to WP8.

 

[mhc48]

I just got my Band2 back after a charging/battery problem and noted that my warranty will expire in December. If it should go again and I can't get it repaired or replaced, I might reluctantly have move to another device.

I've just seen the change of name of the app on my phone to Microsoft Band and my first thought was that the name change proved that MS was planning to stick with it and issue a new model eventually. But on reflection it's just as likely that they want to reinforce the idea that the app will work with any "Band".

 

[ytrewq]

Well, this isn't encouraging: ZDNet: Don't expect a new Microsoft Band device this year (or maybe ever).

Honestly, I can't see MS Health lasting for very long if Band dies. What am I missing?

The ZDNet article is one of the stupidest things I've read in a long time. The article is premised entirely on two facts: (a) the author asked Microsoft whether a Band 3 would come out, and the MS spokesman did not say one way or the other; and (b) a source confirms that no new wearable will come out this year. From these two facts, the author concludes that MS probably will not release another band.

Major logic fail. If MS is planning to release Band 3, I would expect their reps to say the same things they told the author. Company spokespeople aren't allowed to say, "yes, we're going to come out with a product" if the product has not yet been announced. And whether a Band 3 is coming out this year says nothing about whether it is coming out next year.

Major logic fail. The author should be embarrassed.

The fact that the MS spokesman said they are committed to continuing to explore the wearables market suggests to me that they are, in fact, working on another wearable product. That would suggest a Band 3, although I suppose it's possible they're working on some kind of SmartHat or a SmartShoe. But my guess is that we'll see a Band 3. The Band 2 is a great concept, even if they need to do a better job on the execution.

 

[luv2pbal]

I admit I don't sign into the web portal very often, but I wonder how long this page has been there? It looks to me like they're thinking beyond just consumer devices.

They have had that corporate wellness page up for months.

My business has been using the band for 4 months for a corporate wellness program

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[mhc48]

They have had that corporate wellness page up for months.

My business has been using the band for 4 months for a corporate wellness program

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

Would be very interested to hear more about how the band is used in a wellness program.

 

[DroidUser42]

Would be very interested to hear more about how the band is used in a wellness program.

Yes, do tell. (Although, that's probably for another thread.) I'd image one major aspect is how employees feel about having a device that tracks them that belongs to their employer.

 

[luxnws]

The ZDNet article is one of the stupidest things I've read in a long time. The article is premised entirely on two facts: (a) the author asked Microsoft whether a Band 3 would come out, and the MS spokesman did not say one way or the other; and (b) a source confirms that no new wearable will come out this year. From these two facts, the author concludes that MS probably will not release another band.

Major logic fail. If MS is planning to release Band 3, I would expect their reps to say the same things they told the author. Company spokespeople aren't allowed to say, "yes, we're going to come out with a product" if the product has not yet been announced. And whether a Band 3 is coming out this year says nothing about whether it is coming out next year.

Major logic fail. The author should be embarrassed.

The fact that the MS spokesman said they are committed to continuing to explore the wearables market suggests to me that they are, in fact, working on another wearable product. That would suggest a Band 3, although I suppose it's possible they're working on some kind of SmartHat or a SmartShoe. But my guess is that we'll see a Band 3. The Band 2 is a great concept, even if they need to do a better job on the execution.

Is HoloLens considered to be a wearable? That might the the wearable that Microsoft will be working on next year for certain.

With consumer electronics, you don't spring products on retailers at the last possible moment. Other companies show their products at trade shows months in advance.

 

[Captain_Eric]

Great thread!

As for slowness to announce: If I was trying clear out inventory of Band 2's, I wouldn't announce anything either, whether because a Band 3 was coming out, but especially if they were discontinuing.

I have a Band 2. It's great. I can only hope for a Band 3, but it's looking murky.