CES 2015 Live: HTC partners American sportswear maker Under Armour to launch a series of fitness-related wearables
HTC has announced its partnership with American sportswear maker Under Armour to launch its first set of wearables. The Taiwanese company will be launching a series of products that will support UA Record, the latter’s fitness tracking platform.
UA Record platform includes MapMyFitness suite of apps that boast more than 31 million members. Under Armour’s team is working with HTC’s Connected Products business unit to create the series of fitness-related wearables.
“By joining forces with Under Armour, one of today’s most exciting and ambitious leaders in empowering athletes, we are taking the first step on this journey and will provide consumers with a range of connected health and fitness products and services that no other brand can match,” Peter Chou, CEO, HTC said.
HTC has been long rumored to be working on a smartwatch, but the wearable device has yet to see the light of the day. There have been quite a few contradicting reports, some claiming that the smartwatch could be called ‘One Wear’ while others claim that the company has dropped its plans for the wearable due to lack of ‘wow factor’. It is currently not clear if HTC’s partnership will see a range of FitBit-like fitness trackers, or a smartwatch with focus on fitness.
Interestingly, last year Samsung too was rumored to be working with Under Armour on a fitness tracker. That however didn’t seem to have worked out.
The press release follows.
HTC AND UNDER ARMOUR JOIN FORCES TO SUPERCHARGE CONNECTED FITNESS
The best in mobile technology and design meets the ultimate in athletic performance
Las Vegas, NV, CES – January 6, 2015 — HTC and Under Armour Inc. today announced a strategic partnership that will see the pioneers in mobile innovation and athletic performance collaborate to empower athletes everywhere. HTC is designing a series of products to work seamlessly with UA Record™, the newest addition to Under Armour Connected Fitness, the world’s definitive health and fitness network. Under Armour launched the UA RecordTM apps and website today at CES.
Peter Chou, CEO, HTC commented, “Mobile innovation has completely changed people’s lives in recent years, making us more connected to our world than ever before. Now we want to help people be better connected with themselves, helping them to achieve their goals and gain deeper insight into their own lives to become the best they can be. By joining forces with Under Armour, one of today’s most exciting and ambitious leaders in empowering athletes, we are taking the first step on this journey and will provide consumers with a range of connected health and fitness products and services that no other brand can match.”
Robin Thurston, SVP, Connected Fitness, Under Armour said, “HTC is renowned for its fearless commitment to innovation, coupled with an attention to detail and premium design that makes it the ideal partner for Under Armour and UA RECORD. By applying these shared values to our collaboration, we will allow athletes everywhere to take their performance to the next level in a more connected and intuitive way than ever before.”
Innovation – a team effort
Under Armour’s team of designers, sports scientists and athletes are working closely with HTC’s Connected Products business unit, as well as its design and engineering teams, to ensure the shared efforts will meet the highest expectations of athletes everywhere. “It’s an incredibly exciting new direction for us,” added Peter Chou. “We want our products to meet the needs of every individual – whether you’re training for a personal best in your next half marathon, or a professional athlete honing your performance with a full training staff behind you. So far, no company has been able to deliver this level of support and we feel we have a tremendous opportunity to disrupt and accelerate the development of this market.”1 The first product to integrate into UA Record™ will launch separately at a later date
2 UA Record™ is the newest addition to the most comprehensive health and fitness network in the world, which includes the suite of MapMyFitness applications including MapMyRun and MapMyRide with over 31M members. UA Record™ provides the world’s most dynamic, connected health and fitness community with an extended way to track personal health data with fitness activity, participate in community challenges, and easily share content to keep you synced with your fitness goals 24/7.About HTC
HTC Corporation aims to bring brilliance to life. As a global innovator in smart mobile devices and technology, HTC has produced award-winning products and industry firsts since its inception in 1997, including the critically acclaimed HTC One and Desire lines of smartphones. The pursuit of brilliance is at the heart of everything we do, inspiring best-in-class design and game-changing mobile experiences for consumers around the world. HTC is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE: 2498). www.htc.com.About Under Armour, Inc.
Under Armour (NYSE: UA), the originator of performance footwear, apparel and equipment, revolutionized how athletes across the world dress. Designed to make all athletes better, the brand’s innovative products are sold worldwide to athletes at all levels. Under Armour’s wholly owned subsidiary, MapMyFitness, powers one of the world’s largest Connected Fitness communities. The Under Armour global headquarters is in Baltimore, Maryland.
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