IFA 2016: Sport activity tracker adds bioimpedance analysis into the mix
TomTom has decided to join the fitness tracker party with the Touch and it’s got a special trick up its sleeve that it hopes will separate it from the Fitbits, Jawbones and Garmins of this world.
Along with standard 24/7 activity tracking on steps, calories, active time and sleep, TomTom has included bioimpedance analysis, which is similar to the technology used in smart scales and measurements machines in gyms that uses small electrical current to measure the breakdown of fat and muscle percentage.
Hands-on: TomTom Touch review
Performing a reading simply requires placing your finger over the solitary button on the Touch and it will sync to the device, displaying data inside the TomTom MySports smartphone app. The idea is that body composition analysis will allow you to see trends and deliver some meaningful information based around your tracking data.
In terms of other notable features, the Touch also includes a built-in optical heart-rate monitor that TomTom says is designed for continuous tracking and sports tracking with performance said to be on par with TomTom’s Spark sports watch. There’s also phone notification support, letting you view information from calls and messages on the slim OLED touchscreen display.
There’s nothing along the lines of the inactivity alerts or alarms that you get with Jawbone and Garmin trackers, although unlike its closest competitors it does support micro USB charging to deliver up to five days of battery life.
Available in large and small and with a host of different coloured bands to slip the module into, the Touch is priced at and goes on sale in October. It’s an ambitious move for TomTom when Fitbit and Garmin appear to be dominating proceedings. It definitely offers something a little different, but is it enough? We look forward to spending some more time with it to find out.
