Did Microsoft kill its Band wearable too soon?

Information technology'southward 2022. Wearables, while still not everywhere, have proven somewhat pop. Apple has one, Samsung has ane, Fitbit has loads, and many smaller companies take their ain as well. Information technology's a market that has establish its niche and is proving to be a success for at to the lowest degree some of the companies building these devices. I such company that ventured into this market place early on was Microsoft, with the surprise Microsoft Band released in 2022 and Microsoft Band 2 released in 2022.

It was a short stint, but it was a unique expect into a globe where Microsoft was role of the wearables marketplace, and with a product that was actually quite good for the time. In 2022, the wearables marketplace was still new, and nobody had plant their anxiety notwithstanding. Apple tree had non long launched its commencement-generation Apple tree Watch, to mixed reviews. Android Wear devices were not very expert at the time either. Fitbit devices were exciting only were almost 100 per centum fitness-oriented at the time.

Ring was an fantabulous wearable for its fourth dimension.

That is why Microsoft'southward Ring 2 was an exciting product. While by all accounts it was also a fettle wearable, information technology did an splendid task of merging both smartwatch and fitness tracker. Unlike Fitbit, which even today is all the same generally a fettle tracker with a few smartwatch features tacked on, the Microsoft Band establish a happy residual between smartwatch and fitness article of clothing, meaning people in both product categories would be satisfied with a Microsoft Band 2.

The original Apple Watch wasn't astonishing. Things improved with Series ii, only I'd argue it wasn't until Series 3 when the Apple Spotter became the staple clothing in the industry. Earlier and then, there wasn't an outright winner. Fitbit was, and is, a close 2d, but what if Microsoft was all the same in the game. Would it be number two, or number 3? Could it have e'er been number 1 in the wearables market?

The Microsoft Band 2 wasn't without issues. To many, information technology was likewise expensive. Retailing at $249, it was indeed a premium device, and for that toll, the immovability of the wear was not up to scratch. Many people's Bands cruel apart, requiring them to go replacements from Microsoft on multiple occasions. That is unacceptable and likely plays a huge part in the reason the Band doesn't exist today.

Band actually was a quality product

With those bug aside, if Microsoft had held out only a couple more years in the wearables market, it could take been onto a winner. Assuming the company figured out the durability issues, the Microsoft Band 2 would have been a fantastic wearable. It had excellent fitness tracking, superb smartwatch features like replying to texts and invoking voice-assistant related tasks, and a beautiful curved OLED screen.

The software was shine, cute, and elegant. I'd debate most wearables on the market still don't become the software side of things right, like the Microsoft Ring did. If Microsoft had kept the Band going, it would've been interesting to see how that ecosystem grew. Would developers bound on with back up for the Band? Nosotros know the Ring iii was going to be waterproof, but would a Band 4 back up NFC payments? These kinds of evolutions would've been a natural progression for the Band competing in the wearables market.

It's very likely that the primary reason the Ring was killed was that at the time it wasn't making any coin for Microsoft. I've heard through numerous sources that Microsoft was selling the Band two at a loss, even with its high $250 cost tag. If truthful, Microsoft would have had to hold out for longer before that tech would fall in price and get cheap enough for the company to manufacture and sell at the $250 price. But the wearables market place was moving speedily, and Microsoft had shareholders it needed to delight, especially with the impending death of Lumia and Windows x Mobile looming.

If Microsoft had decided to have a risk on Band, and had information technology failed, we could've been looking at another Windows 10 Mobile for Microsoft, which would've been a nightmare. So, it was safer for Microsoft to jump send when it did, before it poured also much money into Band. Maybe it would've been successful, peradventure not. It would've been fascinating to encounter where things went, though. Information technology seems the Band's fate is sealed, every bit Microsoft is pulling support for the service that powers information technology in May.

Rest in peace.

What are your thoughts? Should Microsoft have stayed in the wearables market? Permit us know below.

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