Microsoft Unveils $199 'Microsoft Band' Fitness Wearable

Shortly after apps on the Mac App Store and iOS App Store revealed Microsoft's fitness wearable, the company has revealed its $199 Microsoft Band fitness wearable to Re/code. The device will go on sale tomorrow at Microsoft's online and retail stores.

microsoft-band_hero_2
The Microsoft Band is designed to last 48 hours on a single charge and can be worn all day and all night, as it tracks both physical activity and sleep. It includes 10 sensors that track standard health statistics like heart rate as well as unique points of data that other fitness bands do not track, like a UV sensor to measure sun exposure and galvanic skin response, which can identify stress. Like smart watches, the Band can also receive notifications from a user's smartphone.

Microsoft is also launching a cloud-based health service called Microsoft Health, which can gather data from both the Microsoft Band and other fitness data gathering devices, like smartphones and other fitness bands. The service spans the web and multiple mobile platforms like iOS, Android and Windows Phone. The Windows Phone app, however, integrates Microsoft's voice assistant Cortana.

The company also says that the feature set of device and services will grow, as users will be able to pay for things at Starbucks with the Band and will be able to see how certain events influence health or sleep.

The company also notes that–if customers want to– Microsoft Health can combine work and personal data and gather insights such as how a big meeting with the boss affects that night’s sleep. Other features include access to Facebook and Twitter feeds, as well as weather and stock data.

The Microsoft Band goes on sale tomorrow for $199.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Lower Logo Feature 1

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Monday June 30, 2025 1:08 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are less than three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max in September this year. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an...
Apple Watch Ultra Night Mode Screen

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Launching Later This Year With Two Key Upgrades

Wednesday July 2, 2025 1:13 pm PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 appears to be nearly over, and it is rumored to feature both satellite connectivity and 5G support. Apple Watch Ultra's existing Night Mode In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is on track to launch this year with "significant" new features, including satellite connectivity, which would let you...
iPhone 17 Pro Lower Logo Magsafe

iPhone 17 Pro's New MagSafe Design Revealed in Leaked Photo

Wednesday July 2, 2025 8:37 am PDT by
The upcoming iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are rumored to have a slightly different MagSafe magnet layout compared to existing iPhone models, and a leaked photo has offered a closer look at the supposed new design. The leaker Majin Bu today shared a photo of alleged MagSafe magnet arrays for third-party iPhone 17 Pro cases. On existing iPhone models with MagSafe, the magnets form a...
Wi Fi WiFi General Feature

iOS 26 Adds a Useful New Wi-Fi Feature to Your iPhone

Wednesday July 2, 2025 6:36 am PDT by
iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 add a smaller yet useful Wi-Fi feature to iPhones and iPads. As spotted by Creative Strategies analyst Max Weinbach, sign-in details for captive Wi-Fi networks are now synced across iPhones and iPads running iOS 26 and iPadOS 26. For example, while Weinbach was staying at a Hilton hotel, his iPhone prompted him to fill in Wi-Fi details from his iPad that was already...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Max Battery Capacity Leaked

Thursday July 3, 2025 5:40 am PDT by
The iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature the biggest ever battery in an iPhone, according to the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital." In a new post, the leaker listed the battery capacities of the iPhone 11 Pro Max through to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and added that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature a battery capacity of 5,000mAh: iPhone 11 Pro Max: 3,969mAh iPhone 12 Pro Max: 3,687mAh...
iOS 18

Apple Releases Second iOS 18.6 Public Beta

Tuesday July 1, 2025 10:19 am PDT by
Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 updates to public beta testers, with the betas coming just a day after Apple provided the betas to developers. Apple has also released a second beta of macOS Sequoia 15.6. Testers who have signed up for beta updates through Apple's beta site can download iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 from the Settings app on a compatible...
maxresdefault

New MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Spotted in Apple Code

Monday June 30, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
Apple is developing a MacBook with the A18 Pro chip, according to findings in backend code uncovered by MacRumors. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Earlier today, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip. The machine is expected to feature a 13-inch display, the A18 Pro chip, and color options...

Top Rated Comments

Robstevo Avatar
139 months ago
This is the type of device I wanted apple to release to be honest, something that gives me the time , quick glance of information , lasts more than a day , etc nothing too enturisive and big.

Hope it works with Siri via the microphone ? If it does and I can text people via this band then it's a winner for me.
Score: 60 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Altis Avatar
139 months ago
Yes, more than the apple watch but does it have the same funationality?

Not exactly.

But at least they aren't wasting their time putting the photos app on a watch.

I'd rather a smart watch be good at a few key things that a watch is good for rather than try to stuff it with all the apps on your phone.

I'm interested to see how this turns out.
Score: 52 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dagamer34 Avatar
139 months ago
My prediction is Microsoft can lay this in the ground next of Kin.

I'm not sure you really want a lack of competitors to the Apple Watch if the Apple Watch is all you care about. A lack of competition is the reason why the iPad mini 3 only got Touch ID and not the A8X, laminated display, better camera, and 2GB RAM like the iPad Air 2.

You want FitBit, Jawbone, Android Wear, and this Microsoft Band to all be very competitive products so Apple produces the best Apple Watch possible at a very affordable price. There's nothing worse than when a company rests on its laurels (especially price-wise) because the competition is lacking.
Score: 42 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tankmaze Avatar
139 months ago
48 hours on a single charge huh, that's seems better than the apple watch
Score: 36 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Robstevo Avatar
139 months ago
That long battery life is because it doesn't do anything! If this is the best that the new Microsoft CEO can do it is laughable! Microsoft is so bad a Marketing it is not even funny! LOL! Who is their Ad agency?
It tracks a huge amount of data for you via a large number of sensors. It also displays all the notifications you want and can access Cortona etc

What do you want a watch to do ? Internet ? Video, games and pictures ? Lmao try doing that on a 2.5 inch screen and come back to me
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
farewelwilliams Avatar
139 months ago
no...i'm not going to get Zune'ed out again. biggest mistake I've ever made.
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)