Microsoft is breaking up the Band, will no longer support wearable
All things come to an end. Microsoft Band 1 and 2 will simply experience theirs a little earlier than expected. The Redmond company has confirmed the end of support for its two connected bracelets at the end of May.
The story lasted five years – five complicated ones, since Microsoft’s attempt to break into the wearables market hasn’t been very successful. The end of the software support for its Band 1 and 2 bracelets therefore sounds like a stunning failure, especially when you see the success of others like Xiaomi or Fitbit in the field.
Launched in 2014, the Microsoft Band had a second version the following year before being discontinued in 2016. Now Microsoft is going even further.
“The Microsoft Health Dashboard applications and services are being discontinued and will no longer be available after 5/31/2019”, Microsoft explains.
In practical terms, after 31 May 2019, the bracelets can continue to be used, but the connected functions will no longer be available. Users will still be able to benefit from step tracking, heart rate monitoring, sports activity recording, sleep monitoring or alarms, but all the data will no longer be synchronized. Microsoft allows you to export your data until the final date, however. You will find instructions for exporting your data here, and if you reset after the support end date, you will no longer be able to configure the bracelets.
A refund for some customers
Aware of this decision, which could inconvenience many buyers, Microsoft is offering a refund for active users of Microsoft Band bracelets. On its website, the software giant explains that users eligible for a refund must have a Band that is covered by warranty or be among the active users, i.e.who wore the Band and “completed a data sync from the Band to the Health Dashboard between 12/1/2018 and 3/1/2019”.
Do you have a Microsoft Band? Let us know in the comments.
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