Xiaomi MI Band-5: Leaks, Rumours & What to Expect
The fitness band by Xiaomi does complete justice to the
company’s track record of producing devices that are built well and yet do not
cost much. Costing around $40 in the US, it is a go to device for people who
have a tight budget to maintain. Much due to the success of Mi Band-4 by
Xiaomi, the launch of its successor, Mi band 5 anticipated Mi in the coming
summer. While we offer all that we know about the Xiaomi Band-5, there are also
certain aspects we’d wanted it to improve on.
The amount of
rumours surrounding the Xiaomi’s 5th fitness
tracker of the series have increased exponentially as the release date gets
closer. Rumours of potential upgrades in the band’s hardware and also its
potential release month started doing rounds in January. If we pay heed
to rumours then the 0.95-inch display (in MI Band-4) will make way for the all
new AMOLED display (touchscreen) which will be of staggering 1.2-inch. Having
said that, the light weight of MI’s fitness band has been one of the key
strength against its competitors. It is also said to have a better contrast
than the current band.
Both the Bands previously launched by Xiaomi, the MI Band 3 and
4 supported the NFC but the support was limited only to China. If rumours are
to be believed, it could soon change with the new launch and the support to the
NFC might be extended worldwide. However, it is still unclear that will it be
only MI Pay system that will be supported by the band or others popular options
including the famous Google Pay too. Having said that, if Xiaomi decides to
extend the NFC support to its latest release, it will certainly up the level
convenience for the users. Discussing about the price, Xiaomi is bringing an
even more economical option with Xiaomi band 4C. This band basically just a
rebranded version of the band by the name Realme.
Tizen Help was
the first one to report on 5th of May
about the Mi Band 5’s fitness metrics that will facilitate in tracking of the
heart’s health. Much like its competitors, Xiaomi has finally decided to add
the popular PAI health suite in its band. P.A.I stands for Personal Activity
Intelligence. This makes the metrics provided by the band very easy for the
user to understand. On the basis of activity, heart rate and other important
factors, a Score varying from one to Hundred is given to the user by the PAI.
So the logic is simple, more the score you achieve by the PAI, better is your
health and vice-versa. Although reports by Tizen Help suggest that Xiaomi will
part ways with Step Counter for its new band with PAI, we doubt that the
fitness tracker will be released without the functionality of pedometer.
Taking into consideration that PAI was included by Huami
(manufacturer of Mi Bands) last year in its smartwatches (GTS and GTR), it is
likely that PAI will also be included in Mi Band 3 and 4. A release in
2020 of Xiaomi Mi Band-5 was communicated by Huami with great confidence
without any other details about it. The track record of Xiaomi fitness trackers
has been nothing but exceptional. May it be Mi band-3 or 4, it’s ability and
monitor pattern of sleep, estimated distance covered, calories burned, heart
rate and much more has made it quite popular.
What we expect from Xiaomi’s upcoming fitness tracker
Although the current fitness tracker, Mi Band 4 has a lot of
features, their accuracy is still questionable. Specifically, we would want
Xiaomi to work on certain features for Mi band 5.
Heart rate sensor’s accuracy
The optical sensor for measuring the heart rate in Xiaomi’s band
4 had negligible accuracy problem but same can’t be said about its wrist-based
solution. The sensor struggles when it is in the midst of High Intensity
Workout, particularly noticing the changes in intensity. Since most of the
consumers being health centric, it sure is an important area to work on.
Mi Fit Application
The application which collects and displays the data is by far
the most important aspect of any product and more so if it is related to
fitness. A device, no matter how good it is, how good sensors it has or how
effectively it collects the data, it is of no use if it drives no meaning. So
if you can’t derive any conclusion regarding your health after seeing all the
details provided, it just doesn’t add any value. The application offered by the
Xiaomi: Mi Fit App is good but with time, expectations are on a rise and it
needs to make apt improvements in it to keep it updated and user friendly. One
such area is the frustrating process of finding your activity and workout
history.
Checking the health statistics is also a challenge in the
current App. Inability to see the details of heart rate in the middle of an
intense workout session clearly is a disappointment. The trends are shown only
in a small box which is hard to follow and understand. It will be dream come
true if Xiaomi adds certain social features also in the current App. Since the
Mi Fit bands have become so famous, it boasts of a substantial user base. By
making the App compatible with other fitness Apps, people will be able to
challenge and communicate with each other.
Design
This is more of a long term suggestion but the current design is
indeed growing on users. In an age where people appreciate customizations,
inability to do so is indeed disappointing. Almost all the bands look the same
and just by providing strap or coloured modules will go a long way.
Although, we do not expect Xiaomi to induce all the improvements
with its new launch, but then, what’s wrong with setting expectations high?
Let’s see what all Xiaomi Mi Band 5 comes with on its launch!
Mathew Anderson is a
self-professed security expert; he has been making the people aware of the
security threats. His passion is to write about Cyber security, cryptography,
malware, social engineering, internet and new media. He writes for directory
Websites at Antivirus Blogs.
source : Xiaomi
MI Band-5
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