Amazon is updating Echo Buds with new fitness features. These new features will enable Amazon’s truly wireless (TWS) earbuds to track fitness activities including running, walking, and calories burned. Users will just need to ask the built-in Alexa to begin fitness tracking on the Echo Buds. Prior to the latest update, the earbuds offered a hands-free experience to listen to music, play Audible audiobooks, make voice calls, and get voice-guided directions. The Echo Buds also support access to Siri and Google Assistant alongside the Alexa integration.
As explained on a support page, the Echo Buds can track workouts such as calories burned, workout distance, step count, average pace, and overall time spent during a workout. You can start workout tracking using the Alexa app or by simply saying, “Alexa, start a workout”. Once done, you can end tracking by saying, “End my workout”.
The Echo Buds use the built-in accelerometers along with personal stats entered in the ‘Workout Profile’ section of the Alexa app to track fitness activities. The Verge reports that the new update should start rolling out to users over the next few days.
Upon its arrival, the update will enable the Echo Buds to let you start a workout by saying, “Alexa, start my run” or “Alexa, start my walk”. You will also be able to look at your progress by asking, “Alexa, how far have I run?” or “Alexa, what’s my pace?”
Amazon didn’t offer fitness tracking on the Echo Buds at launch. However, the fitness features were rumoured ahead of its debut.
In August, Amazon launched its Halo fitness band that uses sensors along with artificial intelligence (AI) to track physical and mental health. The band debuted for early access to select customers at a price tag of $65 (roughly Rs. 4,800).
The arrival of the new fitness features to the Echo Buds make them a strong competitor against the likes of Apple’s AirPods and Samsung’s Galaxy Buds Live that both don’t support tracking of workouts natively. Having said that, the Echo Buds are still not available in many markets including India.
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