With its first major product release since
its acquisition by watchmaker Fossil Group
in November, Misfit today debuted its latest entry in its line of fashion-forward fitness trackers with the launch of the
Misfit Ray
. The fitness and sleep monitor features a cylindrical aluminum body, and works with the company’s other Misfit-branded or custom accessories, and can be worn as either a bracelet or a necklace. In addition to its health-monitoring functions, the new Ray can also interoperate with Misfit Link, the software that lets you control things around you – like switching the lights on or off, changing your music, taking a selfie, and more.
Style-wise, the Misfit Ray is a bit of a departure from the company’s other fitness trackers, the Shine, Shine 2, Flash, and the smart button Link, which feature a more traditional, circular design that recalls a watchface rather than something that’s more competitive with the slimmer Fitbit.
Instead, the Ray is 12mm in diameter and 38mm long, which makes it easier to be worn amid a row of bracelets, perhaps. The tracker comes in both Rose Gold and Carbon Black, and includes a 3-axis accelerometer like the one found in the Misfit Shine 2. Also included is a vibration motor that is used to remind you to get moving – similar to how the Apple Watch will
The Ray also has a single multicolor LED, and can alert you to incoming texts and calls as well as buzz a silent alarm. Like other Misfit wearables, the device is water resistant up to 50 meters and it doesn’t require charging. (The battery lasts for 6 months, and is user-replaceable, the company says.)
Ray wearers can monitor their sleep duration and quality, track their steps, tag specific activities like cycling or yoga, see their calories burned and more using Misfit’s mobile app.
The new device will begin at $99.99, which makes it the same price as the newer Misfit Shine 2.
Basically, Misfit has repurposed its tech into a slimmer form factor to give consumers a choice that’s more about aesthetics, rather than a new or expanded feature set. However, despite the new look, the Ray is not really competitive with the high-fashion Fitbit products, like
Tory Burch’s line
, which turns the tracker into a more elegant accessory.
Instead, the Misfit Ray still ships with a sporty, rubber band, making the device feel more casual. That said, the price makes it much more affordable than Burch’s gold and silver accessories, which start at $165 and go up to $195, and still require you to buy the Fitbit separately.
