Amazon Launches AI-Powered Halo Band for Health and Wellness
The Halo Band will analyze your tone of voice, determine body composition, and offer feedback on sleep pattern.
Amazon has today signaled its intention to grab a share of the fitness tracker market by introducing the Amazon Halo Band—a health and wellness band combined with a “suite of AI-powered health features” accessed via the Halo app on Android or iOS.
Amazon is taking a different approach to fitness trackers by opting not to include a display on the Halo Band. Instead, a small “sensor capsule” is used to house an accelerometer, temperature sensor, heart rate monitor, two microphones, an LED indicator light, and a button for turning the microphones on or off; it can be used to perform other actions, too. No display also means great battery life, with Amazon claiming up to seven days between charges and a full recharge only takes 90 minutes.
Wearing the Halo Band unlocks a number of health and wellness features, which Amazon breaks down into five parts called Activity, Sleep, Body, Tone, and Labs. Combined, the Halo app will be able to monitor and feedback on your daily physical activity and sleep patterns, accurately calculate your body fat percentage, and analyze your voice using machine learning for energy and positivity. The Labs section presents a number of science-backed challenges and experiments, which are designed to “build healthier habits.”
Amazon will offer the Halo Band in three sizes (small, medium, and large) and three color options (Black + Onyx, Blush + Rose Gold, Winter + Silver). Initially, it will cost $64.99 for a Halo Band along with six months of membership. That’s a discounted price, though—band plus membership will normally cost $99.99. Once the six months is up, the membership auto-renews for $3.99 per month.
Additional fabric bands will be offered separately and cost $19.99 each (an “early access” price). The initial options include Denim, Hummingbird, Mint Edge, Olive, Unicorn, and Volcano. Sport accessory bands will also be available in Ash, Black, Dark Mint, Domino, Lavender, Pink Slate, Seafoam, Sunset, and White, and cost $15.99 each (also an early access price). You can request early access to purchase the Amazon Halo Band starting today in the US. Amazon must approve and invite you.
Amazon is keen to point out that Amazon Halo users’ health data is protected and data being transferred to the cloud is encrypted. However, there’s going to be a number of third-party program integrations. Weight Watchers (WW) members can translate Halo Activity Information into FitPoints, the Halo is now the featured complimentary wearable for the John Hancock Vitality wellness program, and the Band/app is integrated into Cerner solutions allowing health information to be shared directly into a user’s electronic health record (EHR).
Originally published at https://www.pcmag.com.
