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Xiaomi’s $25 Mi Band 4 packs a color screen and swim tracking
Xiaomi is launching the Mi Band 4, the latest generation of its (almost) world-conquering wearables line. The dirt-cheap tracker comes with a bigger, sharper display, microphone and NFC, as well as a new gyroscope. Improved movement tracking means that, for the first time, the band can be used to automatically record your swim laps.
Xiaomi's Mi Band 2 comes with a display and a price rise
While you probably won't see many people wearing Xiaomi's Mi Band tracker, that doesn't mean it isn't popular. The bracelet, alongside a range of kids watches, has helped the Chinese electronics maker become the world's second biggest wearable manufacturer behind Fitbit. To maintain its momentum, the company today took the wraps of the Mi Band 2, debuting a familiar wearable that features a 0.42-inch OLED display.
Xiaomi's $16 fitness tracker gets a heart-rate monitor
Although it isn't readily available in the west, Xiaomi's Mi Band fitness tracker has helped the company account for a quarter of all wearables sold. Unveiled in July 2014, the low-cost rubberized bracelet monitors your activity levels and analyzes your sleep, but soon be able to track another important piece of biometric data: your heart rate. The Chinese technology company today announced the Mi Band Pulse, a $16 (£10) wearable that uses a light-based PPG (photoplethysmography) sensor to measure your body's blood flow.
Xiaomi officially launches its US and European stores in early June
After a brief dry run, Xiaomi is just about ready to officially launch its online store in both the US and Europe. The Chinese tech firm has announced that the Mi Store will be available in the US on June 1st, and will reach France, Germany and the UK on June 2nd. As before, you're not about to score phones like the Mi Note Pro or Mi4 through this shop -- it's all about mobile-oriented accessories, such as the Mi Band activity tracker, Mi Headphones and Mi Power Bank. If you're only interested in scoring a deal on a wearable or power pack, though, you won't have long to wait.
Xiaomi's $13 fitness band can also unlock your phone
The "one more thing" at the Xiaomi Mi 4 launch was the Mi Band, the Chinese company's first smart wearable, and it's obviously aggressively priced: Just CN¥79 or about $13! Like many of its competitors, the Mi Band tracks your movement (walking or running) plus sleeping pattern, and you can also use it as a smart vibrating alarm to wake up feeling better. Interestingly, a single charge on this waterproof device will last up to 30 days, which easily beats its competitors that tend to last for a week or less. Better yet, the band doubles as a security token that automatically unlocks your phone -- likely just Xiaomi's for now -- when within proximity. There's no word on availability just yet, but as always, Xiaomi should be debuting this in China where it'll instantly sell out.
