The Microsoft Band Is Dead (zdnet.com)

Microsoft's fitness-band line of devices have not be very well adopted over the years. Last month it was reported that Microsoft will be killing off the Lumia brand in favor of a new Surface Phone brand. Now, it appears the company is discontinuing its Band devices, as it has removed all references to them from its Microsoft Store listing online. Mary Jo Foley writes via ZDNet: A tipster who asked not to be named showed me a cached version of the Microsoft Online Store listing from yesterday, October 2, which included Band devices; today, October 3, references to the Band devices are gone from the company's Store sites. Microsoft also removed the Band software development kit (SDK) today, which isn't surprising given it's no longer selling Band 2 devices. Microsoft is believed to have disbanded the software team that was looking to bring Windows 10 to the Band a couple months ago. I've gotten various tips that at least some of the Band hardware team members have dispersed, too, with some moving to other Microsoft hardware teams inside the company. Even though sources of mine have said Microsoft is planning to phase out its fitness band devices and to have no plans to roll out a Band 3 device any time soon (or likely, ever), company officials still haven't completely conceded that it's the end of the line for Band. I asked again today and have yet to get an updated statement from the company regarding when and why Band devices were removed from Microsoft's online stores. A spokesperson sent me the following statement: "We have sold through our existing Band 2 inventory and have no plans to release another Band device this year. We remain committed to supporting our Microsoft Band 2 customers through Microsoft Stores and our customer support channels and will continue to invest in the Microsoft Health platform, which is open to all hardware and apps partners across Windows, iOS, and Android devices."

Comments

Typo in the headline

[Anonymous Coward]

brand*

Excellent sensor package, terrible design...

[jo7hs2]

I bought a MS Band 2 to replace a Basis B1 after Basis basically dropped support for the B1 the moment the Peak was announced, and also broke a number of promises, etc... I picked it because it had the best sensor package around, even including a UV sensor. I found it very useful. I also found it very flawed. My band was replaced FOUR times under warranty due to cracks in the non-replaceable band at where it met the device. Microsoft was very good about replacing it, but it just never really solved the problem, just bought me a few more months of use. The magnetic attached charger also had some issues, and the software has always been a little buggy...especially syncing with the app...which right now includes claiming the battery died and the clock reset basically every few hours. It was a brilliant sensor package hindered by lousy industrial design. When my band breaks again, which I'm sure it will, this means the end for my Band.

Re:Excellent sensor package, terrible design...

[jezwel]

And I was just started to getting interested about the device family! Apparently MS has too little patience for the consumer electronics market, or I'm too slow a potential customer.

They've stuck it out with the XBox, but otherwise seem to be abandoning whole areas where they have little market share:
* music players (understandable with mobile phones on the rise)
* mobile phones - declining
* wearables - out

IMO the mobile & PAN devices such as wearable will continue to grow and become more complex. Microsoft abandoning these is a strange decision.

The what now?

[Fwipp]

I didn't know about this product before today. I guess it's the new Zune.

The Microsoft Band Is Dead

[JustNiz]

Dammit I never even got to hear them in concert.
I heard all their songs are just obvious but worse copies of other more successful bands music though.

Re:Microsoft Hardware - Never supported

[dejitaru]

Every time you invest in bleeding-edge Microsoft things, you get burned. Eventually this is going to happen to the Xbox.

Uh... xbox brand is 15 years old, I hardly consider it "bleeding edge microsoft thing", especially considering the 'xbox one s' is merely an upgrade to the original xbox one...

Whenever you purchase any bleeding edge technology you have a higher chance of getting burned that with technology that's been around for some time, it doesn't matter if it's a microsoft product, an apple product, or a damn tamagotchi. It is a risk that you either choose to take or not.

"Fitness bands" are a fad

[DogDude]

"Fitness bands" are a fad, anyway. MS is smart to get out of them sooner rather than later. "Fitness bands" are something that out of shape people use for a week, then toss in a drawer, somewhere, never to be seen again. People who exercise on a regular basis don't need to know heart rate and all of that other silly stuff, unless they're seriously competitive athletes, which is, of course, a tiny market.

Re:"Fitness bands" are a fad

[PsychoSlashDot]

"Fitness bands" are a fad, anyway.

I agree. Remember when the Wii came out and there was sudden hype that I was going to get people up and physically active? Yeah. Didn't happen. Turns out people who want to do sweaty activities do sweaty activities.

The fitness band product has two places: as a tool for people who ultimately don't need them, and in the same room as the dusty treadmills and weight sets people buy and never use.

Re:"Fitness bands" are a fad

[thegarbz]

People who exercise on a regular basis don't need to know heart rate and all of that other silly stuff, unless they're seriously competitive athletes, which is, of course, a tiny market.

Except people like tracking themselves. Data tracking as a fad has run for the best part of 20 years. I wouldn't discount it early.

As for not needing to track your heartrate, that ignores all of this talk of "fatburning zones" and "cardio zones" and all this other wonderful stuff researchers are selling us. Before declaring the one device to monitor the "zone" dead you need to invalidate the concept, which doesn't appear to be happening right now.