With an upgraded heart rate sensor, Sony’s upcoming SmartBand 2 health and fitness band will help users gain new insights into their fitness, stress levels and general well-being, as well as announce audible and visual notifications of incoming calls, texts, emails and social media posts.
The new smartband, which was announced by Sony on Aug. 20, will debut in September for about $134 and is compatible with Android or iOS smartphones.
The fitness band does not have a front display, instead relying on vibrating notifications and bright pulsing red, green and blue LED lights to notify users about their health and fitness stats as well as incoming calls, texts, emails and more. The SmartBand 2 includes an accelerometer and heart rate sensors that work together to monitor pulse and heart rates over time, allowing users to track their activities. The device can be used along with Sony’s Lifelog app to keep track of a user’s fitness and health progress, while also providing motivational prompts based on a user’s activities.
The SmartBand 2 also tracks a wearer’s sleep patterns and includes a smart alarm clock function that can be used to gently vibrate and wake the user at the optimum time based on their sleep cycle, according to the company.
SmartBand 2 also allows users to control the music on a linked smartphone or tablet using simple taps to play, pause and skip through tracks. Sony Xperia smartphone and tablet users will also be able to set up vibration alerts that are triggered if they accidentally walk more than 32 feet away from their smartphone or tablet while wearing their smartband.
The SmartBand 2 has a one-hour charge time and can go about two days on a charge, according to Sony. The band features a durable silicone casing and IP68 waterproofing to guard against damage from water, dust and other hazards.
The smartbands will initially be available in black or white, while pink and indigo versions will be released later. The devices are compatible with any device running Android 4.4 and up or with iOS 8.2 or above and link using Bluetooth 4.0.
“We set out to create the most advanced wearable at this section of the market–SmartBand 2 has the capability to deliver, and make biometric data meaningful for users within Lifelog,” Kaz Tajima, senior vice president and the head of UX Creative Design and Planning at Sony Mobile Communications, said in a statement. “Not only does it represent a powerful vision of how consumers can learn more about themselves—it allows us to explore exciting new opportunities with development partners.”
The SmartBand 2 will launch in some 60 countries, including the United States, when it debuts in September.