Microsoft may be bidding farewell to the wearable tech market as it pulled its Band 2 from the company's online store. The Software Development Kit for the band has reportedly also been removed. Microsoft is currently restructuring its organization and setting up a massive team to collaborate on upcoming Artificial Intelligence projects.
Microsoft released its first band in 2014. The fitness tracker was equipped with several sensors and was compatible with various operating systems including Windows Phone, Android, and iPhone. It also provided cloud support. The second version of the band was released in 2015. However, Microsoft failed to make its mark in the segment which is being dominated by the likes of Fitbit, Misfit, Samsung, and Apple.
The axing of the band is a little surprising as in a statement released earlier this month, Microsoft had reiterated its commitment to wearable space. Microsoft's ambition with the fitness tracker was never clear. It is assumed that the company was looking to harvest data from the tracker. The data was meant to be used for cloud services and its health platform. However, the tracker failed to achieve mass success to justify its use for data collection.
Microsoft Band suffered from various limitations. The company was a latecomer in the market. The device itself did not have any clear direction as it was less capable than a smartwatch but carried a hefty price tag. The tracker also had an uncomfortable design and lacked waterproofing.