Misfit has unveiled, what it calls — a new kind of technology it likes to call a ‘smart hearable’. The basic idea is a set of headphones that double as a fitness tracker. The device the company has debuted is called the Specter and will be available in the market sometime during this year.
Misfit believes that it’s kind of a burden for a person to remember to put on their fitness tracker (a band, strap or anything else). But headphones are universally used by everyone during a workout. So the company used this strategy to integrate a health monitoring unit into a set of headphones.
The Specter will be able to keep track of your activity during your workout session or when you’re just out and your sleep when you’re taking a nap. It can monitor your steps, calories, distance and other required parameters. It also brings in features like controlling the music, taking pictures and selfies, calling yourself if your phone has been misplaced, working with your presentations and a lot more. It can even be paired with Misfit Bolt, the company’s smart bulb which can turn on and off and change intensity according to the user’s status.
The headphones contain a small module in the line which allow them to function as a fitness tracker. This houses the built-in accelerometer and other sensors required to monitor your activity. This unit can pair up with your smartphone via Bluetooth just like every other Misfit product. The pairing takes place through Misfit’s mobile app and syncs all the monitored data.
The design of the product is also great. It is an in-ear style headset with a dedicated call microphone. The Spector has been designed and developed by the company in partnership with 1MORE, a Chinese acoustic technology company, and are endorsed by 4-time Grammy winner and music producer Luca Bignardi, according to Misfit. The sound of the device has also been appreciated.
We developed the next essential product that we believe our customers want – seamless, comfortable in-ear headphones that deliver high-end sound and useful connected functionality in a gorgeous form factor,
said Preston Moxcey, Vice President and General Manager at Misfit, in a statement.
The release dates, price ranges or any other details about the launch of the Specter haven’t yet been revealed. But the company says the product will be out sometime in 2016.
Just a few months ago, in September 2015, Misfit launched its first wearable devices into the Indian market. These were marketed exclusively by Snapdeal. The fitness trackers have since been coming into the country on a regular basis. Overtime, the company expanded its reach to the country and has started selling its units through other E-Commerce websites and other means. It will be interesting to see if the Specter sees an India launch soon.
