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One of the worst aspects of living with a smartwatch is the amount of charging many of them require to keep running.
However, a new wearable that’s just gone on sale in the US is claiming to offer what it calls “record-breaking” battery life of 30 days of regular use – and up to 45 days when only using minimal notifications.
The Chinese-made device – called the Amazfit Bip – is part of smartphone firm Xiaomi’s output, and has just gone on sale for 99 dollars (£71).
For that, users get a smartwatch that looks similar to the Apple Watch and sports a 1.28-inch colour touchscreen, a heart rate monitor, GPS and accelerometer for activity tracking.
The watch is also water and dust resistant.
Naturally, it can connect to your smartphone too – with a companion app available for both Android and iOS.
Smartwatches with similar specs – including the best offerings from Apple and Samsung, tend to cost a least double the Bip’s pricing, and most of their batteries can only last for a couple of days maximum.
The Bip claims to outlast those high-end devices with little fuss, and while still offering most of the most desirable qualities of a smartwatch – namely movement tracking and notifications.
Sadly, at the moment there is no word yet on a possible UK release.
The Bip then feels a little like it could replace the now discontinued, but much-loved, Pebble Watch – a long-lasting and well-made smartwatch without the premium price tag demanded of a flagship device.
At a time when smartwatches are becoming more widely worn by the general public, Amazfit will hope extended battery life will tempt a few more consumers to swerve the big names and give the Bip a try.
