LG's Heart Rate Earphones and Lifeband Touch Launching This Month

[MacRumors]

Earlier this month, a clandestine report on anonymous sharing site Secret suggested Apple might be exploring the possibility of sensor-laden EarPods able to measure heart rate. The report was later revealed to be a hoax, but earphones with built-in sensors are a reality -- for LG.

First introduced during January's CES, LG's fitness-oriented Heart Rate Earphones are designed to offer real-time heart monitoring. The earphones, which use sensors to measure blood flow through the inner ear, connect to a small medallion that is strapped to the arm or attached to a waistband, tracking metabolic rate and maximum oxygen consumption, while allowing users to listen to music.

The medallion that connects to the earphones is designed to work as a data processing hub, sending biometric information directly to the LG Fitness app or other popular third-party apps on an iPhone via Bluetooth. The earphones are said to offer hi-fi sound and they include a built-in microphone for making calls.

LG's earphones are also designed to work alongside the company's Lifeband Touch Activity Tracker, which is a full-fledged fitness band that measures a range of fitness-related statistics, including distance covered, calories burned, steps taken, and more.

LG's Heart Rate Earphones are designed to provide accurate heart rate data by measuring blood flow signals in the ear via PerformTek sensor technology while also delivering excellent sound. Because of the unique physiology of the ear, wearers can get more accurate health and fitness metrics with LG's Heart Rate Earphones than with other devices, especially when engaged in physical activity. LG Heart Rate Earphones can be used alone or with LG Lifeband Touch.

The Heart Rate Earphones and the Lifeband Touch can both be pre-ordered today from Best Buy and will see an official launch on May 18. The earphones retail for $180, while the Lifeband Touch can be purchased for $150.

Though the report of Apple developing EarPods with sensors was fabricated, the company has invested research into the concept, filing several patents on the subject. It has also recently hired Eric Winokur, a researcher who developed an ear-worn vital signs monitor, likely for its wearables team. Despite this evidence, there's currently no indication that Apple is working on or plans to work on EarPods with sensors, but LG has demonstrated that the technology certainly exists should the company choose to go in that direction.

Article Link: LG's Heart Rate Earphones and Lifeband Touch Launching This Month

 

[Four oF NINE]

Health applications are a niche market of limited interest

 

[TWSS37]

All these entrants into the health/exercise wearable market yet still no one has done it right.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Patents are filed, not published.

 

[ForzaJuve]

We already saw an article about Beats music. Can we get one about an iPhone 6 mockup now so we can call it a day and move on?

 

[IJ Reilly]

Health applications are a niche market of limited interest

Practically everything is a niche market of limited interest, if you're going to look at it fairly. The question is, how large is the niche? Since everyone alive is in some way concerned with or aware of their health, I would say that the niche is potentially a very large one.

 

[dec.]

Health applications are a niche market of limited interest

I agree and it could be one of several potential deal breakers for a possible "iWatch" for me, I'm not interested in a health gadget.

(Note the use of "I", "for me" and "I'm")

 

[Stella]

Heart Rate ear phones. I'd be disappointed if Apple did come out with such a product, but looks like others are.

Sounds like a gimmick - you have to be wearing your ear phones in order to get heart rate stats. Assumes you always want to wear ear phones when doing an activity - and which limits the target. Sure, in a gym or running, may be fine, but other outdoor activities such as - skiing, cycling, types of boating, you probably wouldn't to - when you need to be aware of your surroundings.

Having a heart rate strap, or band is much more practical.

 

[iBlazed]

Any old device can be a heart rate monitor, blood pressure monitoring is where it's at.

 

[Dave.UK]

You couldnt make up the hypocrisy on this site!

When the "fake Apple rumour" was published, nearly every comment was saying how great the idea was and patting Apple on the back.

Obviously that turned out to be a giant hoax.

Now this LG product has been published, look at all the negative comments so far!

The cynical side of me wonders why MacRumors decided to post this article

 

[Tankmaze]

The earphones, which use sensors to measure blood flow through the inner ear, connect to a small medallion that is strapped to the arm or attached to a waistband, tracking metabolic rate and maximum oxygen consumption, while allowing users to listen to music.

I never knew this would be possible. Wow, awesome.

 

[r-m]

I think I prefer the ones that Bragi (http://www.bragi.com) are working on - The Dash.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hellobragi/the-dash-wireless-smart-in-ear-headphones

They measure heart rate and oxygen level, have the gyroscope for tracking (and gesture macros!), Bluetooth, not tethered. Also has pass-thru or noise isolation, so you can listen to external sounds mixed with your music, or filter it out, or just turn it down a little.
Not out yet, still in development, due to ship end of this/start of next year

 

[AngerDanger]

I never knew this would be possible. Wow, awesome.

I was about to quote the same part of the article and make some remark about us living in the future! This is sort of amazing…

Health applications are a niche market of limited interest

Like tablets were a few years ago. Ah, so what you're saying is that LG is in an ideal position to really make something innovative that could cause the demand for "niche" applications to skyrocket? That is what you were saying, right, and you weren't just making a vapid comment?

 

[AppleScruff1]

You couldnt make up the hypocrisy on this site!

When the "fake Apple rumour" was published, nearly every comment was saying how great the idea was and patting Apple on the back.

Obviously that turned out to be a giant hoax.

Now this LG product has been published, look at all the negative comments so far!

The cynical side of me wonders why MacRumors decided to post this article

How surprising!

 

[QCassidy352]

I don't get this market. Do that many people really care how many steps they take, how much oxygen they consume, etc? I care about my health for sure, but not about a bunch of silly analytics.

 

[nostaws]

Apple buying this tech (though I don't see Apple buying LG) makes way more sense than Beats. There are a couple other companies doing something similar.

 

[Amazing Iceman]

I wonder if this whole new Health-Aware Device frenzy will also be responsible for a new massive breed of Hypochondriacs.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Health applications are a niche market of limited interest

So is BMW's M cars, coconut water, vegan restaurants, baseball double headers, Cape Cod in the winter.

Personally, (and I guess I fall in this niche market being one of 30m casual joggers in the U.S.) I think this is a very cool concept. When I workout on my elliptical I always monitor my heart rate to make sure I'm in range. Wearing a strap while running is to much of a PITA. Headphones make it viable.

 

[WinstonRumfoord]

I love exercising but I have never felt the need to know my heart rate or anything like that. I'm not a dolt, I can tell when my heart is getting a workout.

/getoffmylawn

 

[AngerDanger]

I don't get this market. Do that many people really care how many steps they take, how much oxygen they consume, etc? I care about my health for sure, but not about a bunch of silly analytics.

Some people would describe visiting this website and reading about transactions, acquisitions, potential products, ect as silly. As far as perspective goes, XKCD creator Randal Munroe offers: "Our brains have just one scale, and we resize our experiences to fit."

 

[Chupa Chupa]

I don't get this market. Do that many people really care how many steps they take, how much oxygen they consume, etc? I care about my health for sure, but not about a bunch of silly analytics.

It's not that we care how many steps we take, but how far we walked or ran. If it presented the info in miles it would be just as good. The now discontinued Fitbit Force did both. If you work out analytics help you find out where you are, where your weak point is, and to monitor improvement. It's not silly.

----------

I love exercising but I have never felt the need to know my heart rate or anything like that. I'm not a dolt, I can tell when my heart is getting a workout.

/getoffmylawn

Yes, you know when your heart is beating fast but w/o a monitor you don't know where you really need to be:

 

[Rogifan]

You couldnt make up the hypocrisy on this site!

When the "fake Apple rumour" was published, nearly every comment was saying how great the idea was and patting Apple on the back.

Obviously that turned out to be a giant hoax.

Now this LG product has been published, look at all the negative comments so far!

The cynical side of me wonders why MacRumors decided to post this article

Because the same ones patting Apple on the back are the ones being negative now?

I figured MR posted this because they knew we'd get slew of Apple is falling behind, can't innovate anymore posts.

 

[IJ Reilly]

You couldnt make up the hypocrisy on this site!

When the "fake Apple rumour" was published, nearly every comment was saying how great the idea was and patting Apple on the back.

Obviously that turned out to be a giant hoax.

Now this LG product has been published, look at all the negative comments so far!

The cynical side of me wonders why MacRumors decided to post this article

I understand the appeal of this analysis (there's a lot of hypocrisy about), but in reality every thread on possible Apple wearable tech is loaded up with comments about how whatever is being suggested can't really be done, and would only be attractive to the wrong sort of people if it could be done.

 

[WinstonRumfoord]

[/COLOR]

Yes, you know when your heart is beating fast but w/o a monitor you don't know where you really need to be:

I beg to differ.

Some people can benefit from this product, sure. Not every product can be for everyone

It just seems like a flash in the pan. In 10 years tops everyone will be eating gluten again and not giving a rip about what their specific heartrate is.

 

[jmuntingh]

Excited about this and The Dash. Just hoping it will actually be a usable product though.