Under Armour, HTC Design HealthBox Fitness System
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HTC and UnderArmour have worked together to produce an all-in-one tracking system for health buffs. Referred to as the Healthbox, the red box includes a heart-rate monitor, scale, fitness tracker and app.
USA Today says the HealthBox was launched during the recent Consumer Electronics Show. The fitness band, heart monitor and digital scale were all manufactured by HTC, says PC World.
According to Yahoo, the fitness tracker, also known as the UA band keeps count of the number of steps taken, monitors the user's sleeping habits, workouts and even heart rate. As discovered by USA Today, the band is showerproof.
The computer publication says the design of the band is based on an earlier version of the HTC Grip, initially announced during the Mobile World Congress back in 2015. This newly revised version includes a 1.36-inch PMOLED display screen, 110mAh batter, motion G-sensor, Gyro sensor and can connect to other devices using Bluetooth technology.
Heart monitors that are commonly worn on the wrist give users a general idea of their heart rates but are not designed to provide a precise reading. For a more accurate heart-rate measurement, there is the UA Heart Rate which Yahoo says can be strapped around the chest.
The smart UA Scale measures the individual's weight and BMI. Lastly, the set comes with the UA Record app which collects and records the data taken from the other three devices.
USA Today says the entire set costs $400. Individuals can also opt to buy each piece separately.
PC World lists the price for the heart rate monitor at $80 while the UA Band and UA Scale can be purchased for $180 each.
Consumers can start ordering the HealthBox from HTC.com and UA.com. Orders from within the country will be shipped starting Jan. 22.
Although this collaboration appears surprising, Re/code says the partnership may be a little too late, especially for HTC.
In a statement to Re/code, Carolina Milanesi, an analyst for Kantar Worldpanel says achieving success in this market will be difficult. Companies such as Apple, Intel and Qualcomm have previously tried to tap into the same markets with dismal results.
"That said, HTC is between a rock and a hard place, and with smartphone sales struggling, they need to try new markets," Milanesi told Re/code reporters.
Is the HealthBox worth purchasing? Leave a comment below to let us know what you think about this set of wearable tech.