Before companies like Fitbit, Jawbone, Apple, Samsung, and etc. came onto the wearables scene, there was Polar. The company specialized in creating heart rate monitors that are worn strapped across your chest, which in itself is a bit of a downside since it only serves one purpose, as opposed to devices like the Apple Watch that can not only track your heart rate, but display notifications and more.Polar has since released more wrist-based wearables but to date, none of them have a heart rate monitor built into them, but all of that is expected to change. Speaking to Wareable, Polar has confirmed that they are working on a new fitness tracker that will come with a built-in optical heart rate monitor, and best of all it seems that this particular model will be priced low, targeting those who want a more functional tracker but not have to pay and arm and a leg for it.
As to why Polar has taken this long to jump on board the optical heart rate bandwagon, the company’s UK managing director Malcom Douglas said, “Clearly there are a lot of athletes, a lot of women for instance, who would say that it’s uncomfortable to wear a chest strap and there’s an image of this optical heart rate idea that it’s easier or more comfortable and I think it’s a trend.”
There is an argument for wearing the chest-strapped versions such as the H7 which many claim is pretty close to how a medical-grade ECG machine works, but if you’re after convenience and portability, this should do the trick. Unfortunately no word on when this new wearable will be released.
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