Skip to main content

Microsoft's Band 3 pictures leak, showing waterproofing, Features

Microsoft recently announced that it was taking a step back from the wearable industry. That meant halting sales of its Band 2 fitness tracker and reportedly canceling the follow-on Band 3. New images show what the Band 3 could have looked like, and it is — or would have been — rather neat.

Of course this isn’t confirmed by Microsoft in any official capacity, as the firm doesn’t comment on rumors and speculation, but if these images are real, it does seem like Microsoft was looking to make its next generation tracker much more competitive with its contemporaries.

band302
FUD Hater/WindowsCentral
FUD Hater/WindowsCentral
Recommended Videos

According to the original poster, FUD Hater, on the Windows Central forums (deleted at the time of writing, thanks TechRadar), the new fitness tracker would have added much requested waterproofing, as well as blood pressure tracking and support for radio frequency identification (RFID).

The physical design of the Band 3 appears to be a little different, with a new clasp mechanism, though the layout of the display, its size, and its shape all look much the same as the Band 2. Clearly Microsoft wasn’t thinking of scaling back the Band’s functionality or physical design.

band303
FUD Hater/WindowsCentral
FUD Hater/WindowsCentral

That was somewhat the problem in Band and Band 2 designs, in that they occupied a middle ground between fitness tracker and smartwatch.

Unfortunately, none of this brings the hardware closer to commercial availability. For now Microsoft appears to have ended development in the fitness tracking world, though we will have to wait and see what Microsoft does with its Health platform, which it does seem interested in continuing.

Do we have any DT readers who were Band or Band 2 owners? Would waterproofing and a few stylistic and functional adjustments have made you put money down for a Microsoft Band 3?

Jon Martindale
Jon Martindale is a freelance evergreen writer and occasional section coordinator, covering how to guides, best-of lists, and…
New features coming to Microsoft Edge include tab groups and picture-in-picture
A person sitting at a desk, using a laptop.

Microsoft Edge, the company's signature browser, has been receiving updates throughout the year -- and there is more to come. The current feature road map for Edge reveals that some interesting changes to the browser are coming soon. While there are also some smaller updates in development, the two standouts include tab groups and Video Picture in Picture (PiP).

The road map presented by Microsoft covers a timeline from late last year through September 2021 and includes over 70 changes to Microsoft Edge. A lot of these changes have already been implemented, such as the addition of the date of birth to autofill or the ability to bulk-delete passwords. However, Microsoft's plans for the rest of the year are slightly more interesting than the minor quality of life changes we've received thus far.

Read more
Microsoft and Bethesda Games Showcase, E3 2021: How to watch and what to expect
Xbox Bethesda E3 Livestream

E3 is here, and all of the big video game developers are unveiling their livestreams for the event. Microsoft will join companies like Nintendo and Square Enix in hosting a digital showcase highlighting its games. The 90-minute event is a joint Xbox and Bethesda stream detailing new games and content from Bethesda Softworks, Xbox Game Studios, and some third-party developers.

We can expect to see Starfield, Halo Infinite, and possibly an expansion to the library found in the Xbox Game Pass. Of course, completely new game announcements are expected as well, and perhaps even plans for the next line of Xbox Series consoles.
When can I watch the Xbox Showcase?
https://twitter.com/Xbox/status/1397628683481882626

Read more
Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 vs. Surface Laptop 3: Everything new
The Microsoft surface Laptop 4 on a pedestal.

Microsoft just announced the Surface Laptop 4, and you naturally now might be wondering how it compares to last year's Surface Laptop 3. On the surface, these two laptops appear the same, but it is what is on the inside that matters if you're considering buying the latest from Microsoft.

That's why we'll be taking a look at the design, the performance, and the price and portability between the two to help you in your buying decision. Here's everything new in the Surface Laptop 4, the latest clamshell from Microsoft.
Price

Read more