Amazon Halo review: This fitness tracker knows you inside and out

In past due 2020, Amazon shocked us all with an intriguing product drop within the type of the Amazon Halo band, a holistic fitness wearable that has some quite formidable functions hidden in a sexy non-descript, understated wrist strap.

Like each and every different fitness tracker available on the market as of late, the Amazon Halo has sensors and instrument to trace your steps, coronary heart charge, and sleep, and it could possibly even analyze your general process ranges. As well as, there’s a Halo subscription plan that gives get admission to to guided exercises, coaching plans, and enhanced well being metrics very similar to what Fitbit Top rate gives. It’s $3.99/month, however the instrument comes with a loose six-month trial, similar to Fitbit’s newest wearables.

What is extra fascinating concerning the Halo are its voice tone and physique composition research functions. Amazon touts how safe this non-public information is on its platform, however you will most probably both be excited about those new options or be terrified by way of them.

Amazon first presented the Halo via what it described as an Early Get entry to program. In different phrases, you to begin with needed to categorical your hobby in ordering the band from Amazon (for an extremely low introductory value of $65), and if Amazon deemed you worthy, you would then obtain a call for participation to buy it. This is a components that the corporate has used up to now with units just like the orginal Echo speaker, the Echo Auto, and Day 1 merchandise just like the Echo Frames and Echo Loop, and it has labored nicely to get other folks like me, rabid early adopters, to beta take a look at those merchandise.

I spent a couple of week dressed in the Halo and checking out out its baseline and top class options, and I’ve to mention that I have by no means come away extra conflicted a couple of assessment. At the one hand (or wrist?), Amazon will get so a lot proper right here, and I in fact applaud it for its innovation. However, then again, I’ve critical doubts about whether or not I will have to put on it past the assessment duration.

So, the place did I in the long run land at the Amazon Halo, and do I believe you will have to take a look at to shop for one? I will get to that, however first, let’s move over all that this band can do.

The Amazon Halo fitness band used to be introduced in August 2020, and in a while thereafter, it used to be made to be had for an early unlock value of $65. Amazon then rolled it out to most of the people for acquire in December 2020 for a retail value of $100. The instrument comes with a loose six-month trial for the Halo club, together with tone research, physique composition, further well being metrics and research, and guided exercises and meditation periods.

Easy setup, comfy are compatible, and cutting edge well being options

Amazon Halo What I love

On this age of the most productive smartwatches, I have remained cast in my dedication to and appreciation for the fundamental fitness band. And as fitness bands move, they do not get a lot more elementary shopping than the Amazon Halo.

As with different Amazon units, the Halo used to be extraordinarily simple to arrange, and I discovered the onboarding procedure simple and even stress-free. You first have to ensure your band is charged and that you’ve downloaded and logged into the Amazon Halo app (to be had for iOS and Android). As soon as the ones duties are completed, you are walked throughout the setup procedure and Halo band’s options by way of a chain of captivating illustrations and animations (if you have not watched the movies for the Halo band, you will have to).

There is not any display screen to demonstrate your fitness stats, notifications, and even the time, which took a little bit of having used to for me to start with. Amazon pitches this loss of demonstrate as a function, although, announcing that it’s been designed to be “distraction-free.” In the beginning, I used to be skeptical of this as a promoting level, however then I grew to understand no longer having notifications and even the time vying for my consideration.

I got here to understand the distraction-free nature of the display-less Halo

The Halo ships with a polyester/nylon/spandex band very similar to what you would possibly see on a Fitbit or Apple Watch, and the band is to be had in numerous other sizes and colours (I opted for the massive silver model), although there are different recreation choices to be had, too.

The Halo used to be in a position to vanish into the background and do exactly its factor, and there have been huge parts of the day the place I totally forgot that I even had it on. This is particularly exceptional as a result of I wore it on my dominant (proper) wrist, reverse the Fitbit Encourage 2 that I put on each day. Sure, this used to be partly as a result of I did not need to lose out on my ongoing Fitbit competitions, nevertheless it used to be principally in order that I may examine the Halo’s accuracy in coronary heart charge and sleep tracking and step monitoring to my Fitbit (extra on that during a little bit). I believe this kind of band may well be easiest for the minimalist who does not care about seeing their fitness stats continuously on demonstrate or the one who truly loves their conventional, analog watch but in addition needs to get pleasure from steady well being monitoring the opposite wrist.

The Halo’s are compatible, end, and elementary capability is not anything else particular, and you may simply in finding some or all of the ones options on every other fitness tracker. What units this instrument aside are two options that Amazon hopes will assist you truly get to understand your physique higher, have a greater grab to your bodily, emotional, and psychological wellbeing, and give you some gear and tips to make any enhancements that you would possibly really feel essential.

The primary holistic well being function that Amazon needs you to profit from is what it’s calling Tone, and sure, it is what it sounds like. With Tone enabled, the Halo will take periodic scans of your speech patterns right through the day and supply an research of them in your assessment throughout the app. The band can inform you with exceptional accuracy in case your facet of the dialog sounded aggravated, satisfied, unhappy, and so on. The method to arrange the Tone function used to be rather fascinating and very similar to how you get Alexa, Siri, or the Google Assistant to acknowledge your voice for the primary time. The app asks you to learn a chain of quotes and captions from well-known literary resources to higher perceive inflections and adjustments as you talk.

I discovered the Tone function to be eerily correct when it in fact picked up my voice (extra on that beneath), however I am not 100% certain how useful it’s at this time. The speculation is that you can visualize how you’re coming throughout to others and higher take into account that belief in order that you could make essential changes to how you react with others in long term conversations. I will envision packages of this generation that may be really useful for the ones with documented verbal exchange problems, nevertheless it is still observed if and how it’s going to be gained and utilized by the loads.

Now on the subject of the fundamentals, I discovered the Halo to be rather competent. The Halo additionally sports activities a point of water resistance and is in a position to dealing with as much as 5 atm (or 50 meters) of intensity. It’s not that i am a lot of a swimmer, however I will attest to the truth that it holds up rather nicely to the sweaty run and day-to-day bathe regimen. The guts charge measurements and sleep monitoring had been spot-on, a minimum of in comparison at once to my Fitbit Price 3. Then again, the Halo tended to overestimate my step depend when in comparison to the Fitbit. Which one is extra correct? I am not certain, however there used to be a certain discrepancy there. Step depend accuracy isn’t that vital with the Halo, although, as it needs to trace your general process degree and give you a weekly rating this is frequently being adjusted. The default goal is 150 issues, however you can exchange that within the app.

You get credit score for strolling, extra credit score for jogging, and much more credit score for working. The fascinating factor about this level device is that you can in fact lose issues for being sedentary. Via being sedentary, I imply being inactive, no longer essentially sitting down. It isn’t transparent to me how the Halo addresses those that are in a wheelchair. However, general, I truly like this way, as it kind of feels to believe your process as an entire, no longer simply in response to a unmarried metric. It jogs my memory of the Nike+ Fuelband from again within the day.

Do not fret, I am not going to proportion my non-public physique scans with you.

The opposite primary function of the Halo app and carrier is its talent to make use of your smartphone to seize full-body scans. The app makes use of this information to generate a third-dimensional scan of your physique, permitting you to visualise your physique composition and measure your physique fats share. If this freaks you out a little bit, you’re no longer by myself. Amazon says that its scanning device is ultra-secure. Your scans are most effective despatched to its encrypted cloud lengthy sufficient to generate the 3-D pictures and then are instantly deleted.

Did I do this function out? Sure. Am I going to proportion the consequences? Completely no longer. I do not believe I’d partake on this function sooner or later, however I will see how it will enchantment to a few. Amazon says that physique scans of this caliber can price tens or masses of greenbacks a pop at clinics or different amenities and that the Halo interpretations are just about as correct. Customers can take their scans and alter them to their ultimate physique composition the usage of a slider within the app. Amazon has attempted to handle misuse of this selection by way of the ones with physique dysmorphia problems or those that don’t seem to be felony adults. Then again, there may be nonetheless numerous fear about how this selection may well be abused by way of customers, however attainable information breaches.

Supply: Amazon

For all of the worries about non-public voice and physique composition information, I do assume that Amazon has beautiful robust privateness controls and insurance policies in position. As you can see from the screenshots beneath, customers can delete their physique scans and voice tone research from the cloud at any time, and they are able to additionally choose to not retailer their scans within the cloud however reasonably on their smartphones. Customers too can delete all well being information from the Halo app and carrier with only a faucet of a button. Like its Echo audio system, the Halo has a bodily mute button at the band as nicely. Amazon has each and every explanation why to stay this information safe, however on the subject of data this non-public, there may be continually going to be fear about it getting out into the broader global.

One space that turns out to get lost sight of by way of new entrants into the fitness monitoring marketplace is the social part, and I have knocked issues from different trackers who’ve didn’t believe this as the most important function. Many of us who get a fitness tracker need to see how their process compares to buddies, circle of relatives, and even strangers. Whether or not that be within the type of competitions and leaderboards like Fitbit and Apple be offering of their apps or via extra common third-party apps like MapMyRun or Strava, festival can also be the most important motivating issue for the good fortune of a wearable and fitness regime.

The Halo does no longer have its personal leaderboard or competitions within the app at this level, nor does it seem to plug into any of those third-party products and services excluding for Weight Watchers, however that does not imply that there’s no social part right here. Amazon has created a personal Fb crew for Halo homeowners, the place customers can connect to different Halo homeowners and fitness mavens to bond and get probably the most from their Halo enjoy.

Halo updates

After the Halo turned into broadly to be had, Amazon has persevered to iterate at the options introduced with the instrument and Halo club carrier.

In March 2021, it added Alexa integration, so you can now ask your favourite voice assistant in your process rating, sleep high quality, and physique composition.

Along with the loads of guided exercises already to be had throughout the Halo app, Amazon has added much more fashionable systems from suppliers like Halle Berry’s rē•Spin and SWEAT.

In June 2021, Halo bands received the facility to investigate your motion well being and counsel workouts to assist you fortify your posture, gait, and stability.

And maximum lately, Amazon added a function that we could you profit from the instrument’s Bluetooth Low Power connection to pair your Halo’s heart-tracking functions with fashionable workout apparatus units and products and services, together with the ones from NordicTrack, iFit, OpenFit, and CLMBR.

Cutting edge options overshadowed by way of ick issue

Amazon Halo What I do not like

For probably the most section, I discovered the Halo to be a wonderfully succesful and strangely comfy fitness tracker. The enjoy of dressed in the instrument used to be very similar to some other tracker, and the accompanying app used to be truly nicely idea out and designed. However it is not all roses.

For starters, let’s discuss battery existence and the charging enjoy. Amazon claims that the Halo can last as long as seven days on a unmarried price, and whilst that can be technically true, maximum customers may not most probably enjoy that longevity, a minimum of no longer to start with. To its credit score, Amazon does say this entrance and middle within the Halo’s documentation and at the web site, but when you have the Tone function enabled, then your battery existence drops to about two to two-and-a-half days, most. That is nonetheless higher than many fashionable smartwatches, however it is not nice for a tracker. In fact, I perceive why the battery will get depleted extra briefly with an always-on microphone enabled, however it is one thing you would possibly need to bear in mind.

Simply what you want, every other proprietary charging cable to mess your nightstand.

In the case of recharging the Halo, Amazon offers you but every other proprietary charging clamp or cradle. If you have had any Fitbit up to now, you know the type I am regarding. The charging cradle is well-made and appears to be like wonderful, however it is simply every other piece of e-waste cluttering up your table, drawer, or nightstand.

And talking of the Tone function, I discovered the enjoy to be a little bit inconsistent, no longer in the case of the accuracy of its effects or research, however the on a regular basis use of it. I discovered that the Halo took voice readings very sporadically, and some days I did not have any effects. Positive, you can run a scan manually throughout the app, however I sought after to look if the instrument labored as marketed. My principle on why I were given inconsistent effects used to be that the processing is completed to your smartphone, and there have been days the place I spent hours sequestered in my workplace, a number of rooms clear of my Pixel 4a the place the Halo app used to be working. So the lesson right here is that if you need to get just right Tone readings, stay your phone close by.

I discussed above how I briefly grew to understand the loss of a demonstrate at the Halo and how Amazon touts this as a function for a extra distraction-free way of life. Whilst I imagine Amazon had just right intentions with this design that had been each pragmatic (it is less expensive to not come with a demonstrate) and noble (we spend an excessive amount of time shopping at units), the extra conspiratorial amongst us may well be forgiven for feeling just a little on edge right here. In the end, this instrument is every other microphone on our our bodies and in our houses that simply kind of fades into the background and out of our belief. If there have been a demonstrate in this band that gave you visible activates or notifications of your voice scans, you would possibly react to it in a different way.

Now not that Amazon is hurting for cash, however the true financial style right here isn’t within the sale of the {hardware} however within the related subscription carrier. Now we have observed this technique performed out time and time once more, maximum lately with Fitbit Top rate and Apple Fitness Plus. The Halo+ carrier is far less expensive than the ones different choices at simply $3.99/month, and Amazon does give you the primary six months loose (one thing Fitbit is doing at this time with its new units, too). In fact, you do not want to subscribe to get admission to the fundamental fitness monitoring. Nonetheless, if you need to profit from Tone, Frame Composition, or any further guided exercises and extras, the Halo+ subscription will likely be required.

I ponder whether other folks will be capable of get previous the preliminary “ick” issue of this instrument.

The largest reservation that I’ve concerning the Halo is simply, nicely, how do I say this… it offers me the heebie-jeebies a little bit. Paying for a tool and a carrier this is actually judging how I act and glance would take some being used to, to place it mildly. I will see the possible advantages and use instances, and I love firms like Amazon and Fitbit for exploring holistic well being methods, however those are nonetheless hurdles that I and others will want to recover from if a tool like that is to be successful.

Amazon Halo The contest

There are such a large amount of fitness bands and workout wearables to which I may examine the Amazon Halo, however there are 3 particular units that are evoked if you’re taking into consideration this instrument.

The primary is the Whoop Strap 3.0 strap and club enjoy. In the beginning look, the Whoop appears to be like nearly precisely just like the Halo band, and I don’t doubt that Amazon drew inspiration for its product and carrier from this instrument. Whoop has been round for a number of years and has already gained huge acclaim and fortify from the wellness business. It is even worn and counseled by way of skilled athletes like Tremendous Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes and champion PGA golfer Justin Thomas. The instrument can also be worn with other straps throughout your wrist, leg, arm, or physique and is priced in response to a $30/month subscription style for the band and accompanying carrier.

The Fitbit Sense retails for $330 and has some cutting edge well being options of its personal. Now not most effective does the smartwatch include a complicated coronary heart charge observe, nevertheless it packs an FDA-approved SpO2 sensor, an EDA (electrodermal process) sensor, a pores and skin temperature sensor to observe adjustments to your pores and skin to search for indicators of coming near near illness, in addition to a integrated ECG observe. As well as, the Sense comes with six months of Fitbit Top rate, which you can prolong for $9.99/month.

In all probability a greater Fitbit selection will be the approaching Fitbit Price 5, which gives many of the holistic well being options of the bigger and dearer Sense in a smaller and less expensive shape issue. And just like the Sense, the Price 5 additionally comes with six months of Fitbit Top rate.

Each and every of those wearables are dearer up-front than the Halo, as are their accompanying club subscriptions. Plus, the Fitbit Sense is a extra full-featured smartwatch, which would possibly or would possibly not enchantment to somebody taking into consideration a extra minimalistic band or tracker.

Must you purchase

You will have to purchase this if …

You’re comfy within the Amazon ecosystem

If you have already got a host of Echo audio system, Hearth TV units, and Ring and Eero good house merchandise in your home, then likelihood is that you are beautiful comfy together with your connection to Amazon and its units.

You need a minimalist tracker

Fitness wearables do not get a lot more practical shopping than the Amazon Halo. This instrument surely may not be a distraction in on a regular basis use.

You need a greater image of your general well being

This simple-looking instrument has some rather robust options that may assist you higher perceive your bodily, psychological, and emotional well-being.

You will have to no longer purchase this if…

You’re even the slightest bit paranoid

As I mentioned, I consider Amazon’s privateness and safety features and assume it’s doing the correct factor at this time on this regard, however I utterly get it if you do not or if you have reservations.

You’ve serious or recognized physique dysmorphia problems

Whilst Amazon is attempting to forestall the ones with such problems from the usage of the Frame Composition options, if you be afflicted by physique dysmorphia or serious self-image problems, you will have to almost certainly seek the advice of your doctor or therapist sooner than even taking into consideration ordering this instrument.

You need smartwatch capability

If you like so as to triage notifications, see the temperature and time, or your fitness growth at the fly, you’re no longer going to be pleased with this band.

General, I got here away far more inspired with the Halo than I imagined I’d. At its most elementary, I discovered it to be a ravishing and comfy elementary fitness tracker that I may in fact envision myself dressed in. At its most intricate, it pushes up towards the bounds of wrist-based holistic well being monitoring and societal norms for privateness and intimacy.

4
out of five

My advice is if you are even the slightest bit fascinated about a brand new fitness band or this tracker in particular, then move forward and request early get admission to to buy the Halo. The preliminary value is rather reasonably priced, and you can continually choose out of the Tone and Frame Composition options and research. However, you can choose again into them at any time, and the per thirty days rate to get admission to Halo+ is probably the most reasonably priced I have observed from identical bands.

The secret’s this: if you truly need to find out about your self and your well being and behavior, the Halo is a fascinating instrument that may give a ton of perception this is tricky to seek out any place else at this time, particularly at this value level.