There’s no doubt about it, wearable technology is taking off and it’s quickly going beyond just those interested in technology looking for a cool wearable. With products like the FitBit and the Nike Fuel Band being marketing directly to the average consumer, it’s no wonder that everyone wants to jump aboard the gravy train that is wearable tech. So, to no surprise at all here comes Xiaomi. We knew they were readying such a device with it being snapped in the wild a couple of times, but what did surprise us was just how low Xiaomi can go when it comes to price. The Mi Band will be available for just 79 Yuan, which is $13 here in the US.
So, for $13 just what have Xiaomi managed to put together? The small band is a simple fitness tracker, but strangely enough the CEO of the Chinese company didn’t have too much to say about that onstage however, there are other uses for the band. It’s waterproof, making it easy to wear 24/7 (or close enough) and it’ll allow you to unlock a Xiaomi device without the need for the passcode or pin, which we’re assuming is coming in an updated version of the MIUI ROM. It’ll also last for 30-days on standby, which is really quite impressive.
It seems for now that the Mi Band is being pegged as more of a smart bracelet that will unlock your phone, or even link to your connected door lock or other home automation you might have going on. The fitness aspect wasn’t touched on much by Jun, but we wouldn’t be surprised if the company was working on some fitness apps in the next big MIUI update. Still, for $13? A little bracelet that can unlock your smartphone, offer a little info about your sleep patterns and help make home automation easier? This could be a big hit for Xiaomi.