Xiaomi Smart Band 8: New fitness tracker debuts with versatile accessories

Xiaomi has presented the Smart Band 8 in China, just a few days after European resellers started offering the Smart Band 7 NFC. While the Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Pad 6 series and a new TV Master model all differ from their predecessors, the Smart Band 8 has mainly received design changes compared to its predecessor. As the promotional images below show, Xiaomi offers its new fitness tracker with a range of accessories for various use cases.

In comparison, Xiaomi primarily showcased the Smart Band 7 with silicone watch straps. However, the new Smart Band does not need to be worn on a wrist. Instead, the Smart Band 8 can be worn as a pendant or attached to a shoe via a proprietary clip. According to Xiaomi, it has developed new algorithms to enable basic fitness tracking while running.

The Smart Band 8 retains the 1.6-inch AMOLED display of its predecessor though, which still peaks at 500 nits and 60 Hz. Moreover, the new Smart Band delivers up to 16 days of battery life between charges, comes with over 150 sports modes pre-installed and is 5 ATM water resistant. As usual, Xiaomi promotes its fitness tracker as featuring heart rate, menstrual cycle and blood oxygen level monitoring. The Smart Band 8 starts at CNY 239 (~US$35) without NFC connectivity. Alternatively, an NFC model sells for CNY 279 (~US$41). Xiaomi has not confirmed a global release date yet, although these tend to be months away based on past Smart Band generations.

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