Adidas sells a $400 smartwatch for runners called the MiCoach Smart Run Watch. It has a heart rate sensor, 4GB of storage for music and data, GPS support for tracking your running speed and mapping your route, and a touchscreen display.
But if the price tag seems a bit steep, Adidas plans to offer a simpler and more affordable option. The Adidas MiCoach Fit Smart will launch in August for $199.
The miCoach Fit Smart isn’t a watch. It’s a fitness tracker designed to help you when you’re working out. Unlike a Fitbit, Nike Fuelband, or Jawbone Up you’re just supposed to wear it when you’re exercising… not all day.
What it can do is monitor your heart rate, distance traveled, stride rate, and provides an estimate of calories burned.
Adidas is positioning the band as a sort of personal coach: it gauges your personal baseline by measuring your heart rate during an initial workout and then sets goals for you. The wearable device pairs with an iOS or Android smartphone app to not only show your stats, but to also provide training plans and show your progress against weekly goals.
Training for a marathon? The app will let you set long-term goals and provide feedback as you work your way toward them.
It’s a niche device at a time when similarly-priced wearables track your steps all day long, show smartphone notifications, and much more. But Adidas seems to be betting on the idea that not everyone needs a jack-of-all-trades device on their wrist.