Microsoft to offer Band refunds, announces end of apps and services

Microsoft has announced today that it plans to kill off its Microsoft Band and Microsoft Health Dashboard apps and services on May 31st. The software giant already discontinued its wrist-worn Band fitness tracker more than two years ago, but the company has kept the Band apps running to support existing users. That will now change on May 31st, with the backend services ending and the apps being removed from the Microsoft Store, Google Play, and Apple’s App Store.

Existing Band users will be able to export their data before the end of May, and services powered by the cloud will cease to function in June. Band users should still be able to record daily steps, heart rate, and workouts, alongside activity data, sleep tracking, and alarm functionality. If a Band user resets a device then it will be “impossible to set up the device again” according to Microsoft.

Some Microsoft Band users will be eligible for a refund from the software giant, though. Microsoft is letting active users who have synced data from a Band to the Health Dashboard between December 1st 2018 and March 1st 2019 apply for a refund on their hardware. Surprisingly, Microsoft is offering $79.99 for Band 1 owners, and $175 for Band 2 devices. If your Microsoft Band is also covered under warranty, the same refund values will be available.

:story: The Verge