Fitness trackers have their niche, but, with smartwatches doing so much more, you’d think fitness trackers would have gone the way of the dinosaur. Interestingly enough, that’s not true: fitness trackers are en vogue, and the more budget-friendly, the better. Samsung, creator of the gorgeous, curved AMOLED Gear Fit fitness band, is preparing to enter the entry-level fitness tracker arena with a budget-friendly model of its own.
The device, dubbed “Triathlon” with model number SM-R150, has a lower model number than the Gear Fit (SM-R350), meaning that the new fitness tracker could come without many of the enjoyments found on the Gear Fit. Among these, it’s said that there may not be a heart rate monitor on the device.
We don’t know all the details, and the few we know are insider tips, but we do know that Samsung recently detailed a bio-processor for wearables that would operate for a smart wearable in the same way that a processor operates for a smartphone. The new bio-processor would have Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPU, heart-rate monitors, and other necessary components. The bio-processor is important because of what it means for the future of Samsung wearables in general (including smartwatches), but we could see Samsung’s entry-level fitness tracker (if it arrives to market) be cross-platform to compete with Xiaomi’s new Mi Band 1s fitness band – if it ever arrives in the US.