NEW YORK: Xiaomi has announced the launch of the Mi Band 1S — also dubbed as Mi Band Pulse — the company’s second generation wearable fitness tracker. On Monday, the Chinese conglomerate also unveiled a 20000mAh Mi Power Bank. Both the products are currently exclusively available in China with no word on their international launch time frame.
The Mi Band first debuted in China last year. The company has refreshed the fitness tracker with the launch of the Mi Band 1S, adding several substantial improvements such as the addition of an optical heart-rate sensor and aesthetic changes while maintaining a dirt-cheap price tag. A display, however, is still missing.
The Mi Band 1S measures 37×13.6×9.9mm (so a tad larger than the Mi Band) and also weighs half a gram more than the Mi Band. It is also IP67 certified, so the band should be able to withstand dust and water to an extent.
The company has retained the same 45mAh battery as its predecessor and promises 30-day battery life on a single charge. Considering the band now also comes equipped with a heart-rate sensor, that’s an interesting feat if it manages to deliver it. It will go on sale in China at a price point of CNY 99 (roughly Rs. 1,030, or $16). The company also announced that it will continue to sell the original Mi Band.
