Medtech mainstay Masimo has followed up its highly successful consumer smartwatch released last summer, the W1, with a new wearable that is meant to give users more control over their health data. The Freedom wearable is decidedly more transparent about where exactly the more than 86,000 health measurements it is capable of tracking end up. It features a conveniently flippable switch on its side that can immediately halt all data sharing from the physical device, including what is picked up from the combination of the microphone, location trackers, and other built-in applications that glean personal information while performing their functions.
“We are allowing people to take control of their health with continuous and accurate actionable biosensing information along with the convenience of being connected, but without compromising their freedom,” Joe Kiani, Masimo’s CEO, said in a statement. A switched-on Freedom watch automatically transmits the data it gathers via its real-time readings, such as pulse, respiration and hydration levels, and arterial blood oxygen saturation, to the Masimo Health app for smartphones. Users are given a chance to track changes in real-time readings as well as comprehend long-term trends in their health data.
The initial rollout of the Freedom device will be accompanied by the launch of a separate but compatible screenless wristband that also picks up heath info for instant transmission to the smartwatch. This allows for uninterrupted data collection, as it is meant to be worn while the Freedom watch is charging. Though its market entry will likely come about in the fall of this year, and full pricing info is not yet available, Masimo encourages interested customers to put down a $100 deposit for a preorder.
