Heart Rate Monitor, Mi Band Pulse, Announced by Xiaomi
In May 2015, Xiaomi brought the Mi Band, a $15 fitness band that’s hugely popular in China, to the U.S. It’s a great price for a waterproof bracelet that monitors your activity, tracks sleep, connects to your phone and offers a vibrating alarm.
Now, Xiaomi has announced an upgrade to the device: Called the Mi Band Pulse, the new wearable adds a heart rate monitor to the mix, again at a pretty amazing price: 99 yuan or about $16. It’s worth noting that the original Mi Band is priced a little lower in China ($13) than the U.S., meaning the price difference between the two devices is approximately $3.
For comparison, Fitbit’s cheapest activity-tracking bracelet, the Flex, costs $99.95.
According to a thread on Xiaomi’s forum, the Mi Band Pulse also features new strap material that won’t be as prone to breaking as the last one, as well as a 45mAh battery.
Though very similar in appearance to the original Mi Band, the Pulse is a little heavier and just a hair larger, though the differences are likely too small for most people to notice.
The Mi Band Pulse will launch in China on Singles Day — a huge shopping event that falls on Nov. 11. No date has been set for international launch, but Xiaomi used its Facebook page to ask customers whether they’re interested in seeing the product in their country, too.
#MiBandPulse – Mi Band is already the 3rd most popular wearable in the world and now we’re adding real time heart rate…
Posted by Mi on Sunday, November 8, 2015