HTC Grip cancelled, long live the UA Band
HTC's health tracker made in collaboration with Under Armour bites the dust as it makes way for a new trio of fitness devices
After a long and protracted wait for HTC’s very first fitness tracker, the company has finally confirmed to us that the HTC Grip is no more. Taking its place is the newly announced UA Band, a completely different tracker which forms part of a trio of new fitness devices from HTC and its US partner Under Armour.
In a statement to Expert Reviews, an HTC spokesperson said, “Together, HTC and Under Armour decided to launch a larger portfolio of connected products together to introduce a new ecosystem we are confident will change the way all athletes live. This no longer includes the original concept of the ‘Grip’ device.”
Developed in collaboration with US fitness company Under Armour, who traditionally make sports clothes and accessories but have also recently acquired the MapMyFitness, MyFitnessPal and Endomondo fitness tracking apps, the UA Band works with Under Armour’s UA Record app to track your daily activity, workouts and sleep patterns. Designed to be worn all-day, the band has a smooth exterior shell with a red pimpled inside, and a small rectangular display which stays on during workouts but turns off when it’s not in use. There’s also an LED light to indicate your heart rate zone when it’s paired with HTC’s second new fitness device, the UA Heart Rate.
^ The UA Healthbox comes with the UA Band (left), UA Scale (centre) and the UA Heart Rate (right)
This is a small compact heart rate monitor which slots in to a chest strap. Using what HTC calls “innovative micro snap technology”, the company hopes it will be undetectable during workouts. The UA Heart Rate should also help provide a more accurate picture of how many calories you burn when exercising.
Rounding out the package is the UA Scale, a circular Wi-Fi-enabled scale that measures weight and body fat percentages using conductive paint which coats its glass panel. Underneath the glass you’ll find an LED display, which also hides itself when not in use. The scale can support up to eight users and can sync your readings with the UA Record app.
Taken together, all three devices will be available as the UA Healthbox, which is set to go on sale in the US on the 22th January for $400. There’s currently no word on a UK price or release date just yet, but it’s due to roll out internationally at some point this year.