HTC Grip launches: a smart bangle with GPS built right in

HTC Grip launches: a smart bangle with GPS built right in

HTC has finally made its long-awaited debut into the fitness market, following last year's announcement it will be working with Under Armour, with the launch the HTC Grip.

The new fitness tracker – which also packs a GPS chip inside – is designed for 'elite athletes', which really translates into the segment of people that aren't just stuck on the sofa and buy a step-tracking bangle to try and remember to wander around once in a while.

The Grip features a two-tone black and lime colour, in a design reminiscent of the Nike Fuelband – it even features the same sort of clasp to snag arm hair. However this bangle is designed to work with Under Armour's Record app to give you all the info on your sweating.

Grip

Run, your beautiful fool

Primarily a watch for running, the Grip has a passive matrix OLED screen to display information on distance, speed and time. While it can work independently thanks to the GPS chip, it works better with a smartphone attached, where it can display smart notifications, change music tracks or even reply to messages with pre-defined words.

There's no heart rate monitor built in – HTC reckons the technology isn't good enough and wants the band to be attractive to the serious fitness freak – but it can connect to Bluetooth heart rate bands.

With a battery life that should be able to last five hours on GPS (enough for a marathon in some cases) the fitness device has some decent specs – although it won't be massively cheap at $199 when it launches.

The HTC Grip release date has been set for 'spring' this year – and if you've noted the lack of price conversion that's because this fitness wearable won't be leaving the US, unfortunately.

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Gareth Beavis
Formerly Global Editor in Chief

Gareth has been part of the consumer technology world in a career spanning three decades. He started life as a staff writer on the fledgling TechRadar, and has grown with the site (primarily as phones, tablets and wearables editor) until becoming Global Editor in Chief in 2018. Gareth has written over 4,000 articles for TechRadar, has contributed expert insight to a number of other publications, chaired panels on zeitgeist technologies, presented at the Gadget Show Live as well as representing the brand on TV and radio for multiple channels including Sky, BBC, ITV and Al-Jazeera. Passionate about fitness, he can bore anyone rigid about stress management, sleep tracking, heart rate variance as well as bemoaning something about the latest iPhone, Galaxy or OLED TV.