Microsoft"s Band and Band 2 devices may look like they run Windows 10, but they most certainly do not. They only run firmware. There have been rumors that future iterations of the product might run the OS, but ZDNet"s Mary Jo Foley reports that that is no longer the case.
According to the report, the group that was responsible for the project was disbanded weeks ago. Of course, that leaves the future of Band in question.
Microsoft issued the following statement:
We continue to invest and innovate in the Microsoft Health platform, which is open to all hardware and apps partners across Windows, iOS, and Android devices. We also continue to sell Microsoft Band 2 and remain deeply committed to supporting our customers and exploring the wearables space.
It"s worth noting that the statement says that the company will continue to invest in Health, and says nothing about future Band investments. Saying that it"s committed to supporting customers and exploring wearables certainly isn"t something that"s easy to look at optimistically.
Nevertheless, Mary Jo says that her sources say that there will be no new Band in this calendar year, and we haven"t heard anything about new hardware either. Of course, it"s possible that the firm may introduce something at its rumored hardware event in April, but that does seem like a very long way away with such extensive discounts on the Band 2 already going on.
It"s important to note that Band is Microsoft"s hardware line of wearables, and Health is the software platform. Health is likely not going anywhere, similar to how Lumia might be dying, but Windows 10 Mobile will carry on.
It begs the question though, with Windows phone sales dwindling to almost nothing, what is the value of Band when paired with Android or iOS, especially when competing with Android Wear and watchOS? On the other hand, if Microsoft plans to relaunch Windows 10 Mobile with a "big bang" in April, perhaps that would be a better time for a new Band anyway.
Source: All About Microsoft