Amazon announces Apple Watch competitor, Halo Should Apple worry about Amazon's new product?

A person wearing a blue shirt and an Apple Watch reaches for a cup of coffee on a white table. Nearby are a white textured bag, a patterned cloth with red hearts, and a plate with pastries.

Amazon has announced its Fitbit and Apple Watch competitor device, called Halo.

The new product is designed to compete against rival fitness trackers and smartwatches, offering users access to data on their health and fitness as they go about their day-to-day lives.

Amazon will charge users a monthly subscription fee for access to their health data.

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Amazon Halo is the company’s new fitness tracking software, and it’ll work alongside the Amazon Halo Band, a device that’s packed with sensors that offer “highly accurate” information.

The Halo Band looks like an Apple Watch without a display, with Amazon focusing more on the internals and fitness tracking rather than integration with our phones.

Speaking of the launch, Dr. Maulik Majmudar from Amazon said: “Health is much more than just the number of steps you take in a day or how many hours you sleep.

“Amazon Halo combines the latest medical science, highly accurate data via the Halo Band sensors, and cutting-edge artificial intelligence to offer a more comprehensive approach to improving your health and wellness.”

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Amazon has confirmed that the Halo Band will feature an accelerometer, a temperature sensor, a heart rate monitor, two microphones, an LED indicator light, and a microphone button. It’s likely that additional functionality will be added in future Halo Band releases.

The Halo software will use heart rate, temperature, and motion to measure time asleep and time awake, helping consumers understand their overall health and fitness.

The Amazon Halo Band and 6 months of Halo membership is available for the special early access price of $64.99. After early access, Amazon Halo Band and six months of Amazon Halo membership will be available for $99.99. The membership is $3.99 per month after the initial 6 months.

What are your thoughts on the Halo Band? Let us know and check back soon for more.

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