The Pro version resembles a smartwatch a lot more than a fitness tracker
Xiaomi has been busy with fitness bands lately, and it opened the year with the launch of the Xiaomi S1 and the S1 Active, followed by the long-awaited May reveal of the Mi Band 7. Recent evidence suggested that a Pro version of the Mi Band 7 was also in the works, and now, Xiaomi has officially confirmed that the Mi Band 7 Pro will be unveiled in China on July 4.
Next week brings us the launch of the Xiaomi 12S series, and apparently the plan is to show off the new Pro band alongside the phones. A post from the Xiaomi account on Weibo shared a teaser of the upcoming wearable, which boasts that the smart band will offer “a more professional sports and health experience.” What that means is anybody’s guess, as not much is currently known about the capabilities of the band. Meanwhile, prominent Chinese tech leaker Digital Chat Station has shared two images of the product which give us a closer look at its screen and straps. What’s most striking is that unlike the regular Band 7, its Pro counterpart looks a hell of a lot more like typical smartwatch.
While most Mi smart bands tend to feature high-aspect, curved-rectangle screens, the 7 Pro screen is much more squarish and offset from the band itself (and yeah — super Apple Watch-y). We’re looking at there being at least two color options — black and white — but don’t yet know if others will be available, as well. The black strap variant is paired with a gunmetal body, while the white version has a gold-hued body.
Reports have suggested that a built-in GPS receiver could help out with activity tracking, a feature that was lacking on the Mi Band 7. Greater battery capacity also sounds likely. We’ll just have to wait for early next week to get the full picture on this wearable.