It’s that time of year again! A few of us are here in Las Vegas getting ready for CES, the biggest consumer electronics show of the year, while the remainder of the team is working hard on getting our orders fulfilled.
We continue to work towards our mission of making it as easy as possible for you to get and stay healthy. Many of you have asked about our progress on mobile apps. We are excited to share an overview and first look of our Android mobile app. It’s designed to seamlessly extend the Basis experience to your smartphone allowing you to easily sync your data, check your progress on your habits, and dive deeper into your activities when you choose to. Here are a few highlights:
Hassle-Free Automatic Syncing
Your Basis band is already Bluetooth-enabled and our Android app will allow you to sync data from your Basis Band wirelessly to your dashboard. You can have it sync automatically in the background and on-demand so your dashboard, be it on the web or the app, is always up-to-date with your most recent data.
Track Your Progress Anywhere and Anytime
You can view all of your habits and insights right on your Android smartphone. You can also dive deeper into each auto-classified sleep and activity event, including charts of your heart rate patterns and calories burned.
Stay Motivated
Mobile notifications alert you when you reach your daily targets and weekly goals. They also provide a gentle nudge on days when you need to get going to hit your weekly goal.
Android First
We have focused on an Android app for our initial release given its large and growing user base. The initial version for select Android smartphones will be available by the end of March, followed by updated versions supporting additional phones. An iOS version for iPhones is also in the works and we will announce the availability when it launches.
We will be giving demonstrations of the Android app at CES at Booth 26905 in South Hall 2 of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Hope to see you there!
Thanks,
The Basis Team
Interesting that the Android app takes precedence over the iPhone. Did your research show more demand in that arena. I would have thought iphone users would have been the early adopters. Good luck at CES, always a fun show to go to.
Any timeframe for when you will have new stock again, or feedback you can share from those who are already using the unit?
thanks,
Michael
Android is a large and fast growing user base that fit well with our consumer profile.
No specific date when we will be back in stock. We are working as quickly as possible to get through our current orders and then will re-open.
Thanks,
The Basis Team
As the previous commenter stated, it’sInteresting that you have chosen Android as your first platform for releasing an App. Nothing short of ridiculous really. I think it will be interesting to see how many Android users will spend $200 as I have for a fitness band, as most studies show Android users to not be willing to spend anything. Not sure where you got your data, but people that get phones for free for the most part don’t tend to like to spend money. Interesting indeed.
In any case, as an iPhone user that now has the band, the lack of an iPhone or iPad App is surprising I have to say, but I am loving the band and will happily wait.
I can see from the web app that maybe there isn’t anyone there that can code for iPhone, in which case I would suggest you outsource that programming to make it as immersive an experience as possible.
I did want to purchase accessories, an additional cable, since as an iPhone user I am going to have to sync at home and at the office via cable, and the white bands as well. None of these items are available either?
Android users don’t get their phones for free. I paid quite a bit for mine. I also plan on buying the basis watch as soon as it comes back in stock.
I got my iphone for free (from work) and am planning on paying for an android phone because my old one was way more innovative then the iphone. When I see iphones, I think future Blackberry. Lawyers and Bankers (people with money) were the last bastion of Blackberry users.
My Samsung Galaxy Note 2 costs about the same as an iphone 5 and is more powerful and got a bigger screen. I am more than happy to pay for stuff. I think iphone apps come out first normally because it is a slightly easier device to develop for as there are a limited subset of models and screen resolutions, but the android market is larger and growing.
When’s the B1 going on sale again? Do you have manufacturing/fullfillment issue?
To the commentor that said android users won’t spend 200.00 for the basis is crap. Maybe because many of us get free phones we can afford to spend the two bills for the basis. Anyway I been patiently awaiting my basis._Perhaps it’s because apple doesn’t always play well with others they went to android first.:}
I think it was a smart move going with Android as they currently have the largest user base of any of the smartphone OS systems out there. I’m definitely interested in buying this when the app comes out. Nice work on this product. The only thing I would really like to see is one that’s more water resistant. I enjoy boating and like to jump in and swim and wouldn’t want to worry about damaging the watch.
Devin,
Thanks for the note. In regard to swimming, designing the band for water sports would mean a much different device. While we understand there is a need, we believe there are other devices out there that serve that specific purpose.
Thanks,
The Basis Team
Any way to sign up to beta test? Loving my Basis but would love to have it sync through my phone. Samsung Galaxy SIII here
Me too! Exactly the same combo – basis and sgs3.
Thanks!
Good luck at CES! It looks like there was a firmware update today. Is there someplace a changelog can be viewed?
Thanks!
I am Android user and I just found out about Basis from CES. I can’t wait for it to be back in stock so I can buy it, and even though I am an Android user I am happy to buy things that seem worth the money. I love that Basis sees Android users as valuable and is making the app available for us first. Oh and I love beta testing!
Thanks Celeste!
Any plans to enable this to pair/sync with some of the smart scales? I currently use the Garmin 610 for training (HR, Calories, distance, Pace, etc.) paired with the Tanita BC1000 scale that measures 9 different body metrics (weight, body fat, bone density, muscle mass, etc.) That would be a truly powerful tool to bring all of these metrics into one place and to have one portal that helps make sense of it all.
We are currently exploring ways to share data with other devices and platforms (commonly called an API). We will update everyone as we have news to share.
Thanks,
The Basis Team
Yes, we will are exploring launching an API which will allow communication with our platforms and devices.
The Basis Team
I must say, I am shocked. I don’t think I’ve ever even heard of an app for Android before the iOS version was ready. Shocked, indeed.
You will most likely see more and more companies launch Android first as the platform becomes more prevalent.
The Basis Team
I am curious what percentage of your staff have iOS vs. Android phones.
John,
It is actually about 50/50. And, no, the decision on Android wasn’t drive off personal preference at our office.
The Basis Team
I am seeing more and more developments of iPhone first as android first releases encounter massive delays in compatibility problems and then flop in sales.
Loving my watch and eagerly awaiting the iphone app. Just wondering – is there any place we can get insight into how the calorie burn for example is computed? Those body fat measuring scales tell me my basal metabolic rate is 3400 calories and even with working out the watch puts me around 3300 for the day… kind of interesting. Thanks! (Yeah, I’m a bigger guy ha ha…)
Markus,
We don’t share specific calculations but it is a combination of your assumed BMR (based on your physiological information) and your activity levels. If you have a highly unusual BMR, it may under or overcount the overall calories.
The Basis Team
Where can I download the android app?
Jason,
The Android app will be available in March.
The Basis Team
Thanks for the update on mobile apps – sharing information and timelines for future updates is great way to keep your community engaged. I have a band and am liking its usability and realtime information. I too am an iPhone user and will be excited to hear about iOS mobile app availability.