Sony's new SmartBand fitness tracker can deliver smartphone notifications, as well as monitoring pulse and heart rate variability
Sony has unveiled its second generation fitness tracker, the SmartBand 2, featuring a new heart-rate sensor and a selection of smartwatch-like features that allow users to receive smartphone notifications on their wrist.
The Smartband 2 has the same "core" form factor as its predecessor, with accelerometer and heart rate sensors working together to monitor pulse and heart rate variability, and automatically tracking activities such as walking, running and other workouts.
It also provides sleep insights, with automatic sleep detection and a smart alarm clock function, which gently vibrates to wake the user up at the best time, based on their sleep cycle.
Sony’s Lifelog app helps users keep track of their progress, and provides "inspiring motivational prompts" based on the user's activity.
However, the Smartband 2 offers more functionality than a traditional fitness tracker, notifying users of incoming calls, messages, emails and tweets with vibrations and pulsing LED lights.
Users can also control the music on their smartphone or tablet from their Smartband 2, by tapping to play, pause and skip through tracks.
The Smartband 2 has a waterproof silicone casing and a metal fastening clip. It has a 2-day battery life and will be available in black and white at launch, with pink and indigo versions following shortly afterwards.
The SmartBand 2 will launch in 60 countries worldwide from September 2015. Sony has not announced a UK price but it will cost €119 (£85) in the rest of Europe.
Analysts as IDC predict that 72.1 million wearable devices will be shipped in 2015, with fitness trackers like the Sony SmartBand, Fitbit and Jawbone Up leading the charge.
However, the launch of the Apple Watch earlier this year has increased demand for wearable devices with broader functionality.
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