It has been a couple of months since the Xiaomi Mi Band 1S was officially unveiled, and now, it seems like the wearable will be launched in Malaysia soon; the Mi Band 1S has been registered on SIRIM with the model number “XMSH02HM.” Chances are, it won’t be long until Xiaomi Malaysia officially puts it up for sale.
For the most part, the Mi Band 1S is just like its predecessor. The latest wearable from Xiaomi, however, does gain a new trick up its sleeves: an optical heart rate sensor. With this addition, the Mi Band 1S will be able to function more effectively as a fitness tracker, along with better sleep tracking capability. Unfortunately, the heart rate sensor does slightly affect the battery life of the Mi Band 1S: it has an expected battery life of up to 20 days, which is still pretty long for a wearable.
Other than the addition of a optical heart rate sensor and slightly shorter battery life, the Mi Band 1S also features an improved strap which uses a better – but unspecified – material for improved durability. Those who have concerns with the weak strap quality of the first generation Mi Band won’t have to worry anymore.
Of course, the main selling point of the Xiaomi Mi Band 1S is its very affordable price tag of 99 Chinese yuan (about RM65). Then again, the first generation Mi Band is currently going for RM69 – well, RM52 right now for the Lunar New Year sale – in this part of the world. It’s probably safe to assume that the Mi Band 1S will be priced slightly higher once it is officially available in Malaysia.
