Microsoft Band Fitness Wearable Again Falls Below $150 As Next Gen Model Looms

Microsoft introduced its “fitness” Band late last year in an attempt to tap into the growing wearables market. Supplies were incredibly constrained at launch and it took Microsoft a few months to get production numbers up to a comfortable level.

Once production was humming along, the discounts started piling on. Microsoft struck the first blow with a meager $20 discount of its own, while Target countered with a $50 discount, making for a pretty sweet 25 percent savings off the MSRP. In the month since Target temporarily slashed the price on the Band, things have been relatively quiet…. until now.

Amazon is now trying its hand on Band discounts, matching the limited time Target price of $149.99. That price covers all three Microsoft Band sizes: small, medium, and large. If previous Band “flash sales” are any indication, we have the feeling that this current sale won’t last for very long. Microsoft offered a similar promotion late last week that was quickly snuffed out.

The generous discounts shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise considering that Microsoft revealed last month that it was currently developing the second generation Band wearable. And we learned late last week that Microsoft has plans to launch the presumed “Band 2” in October at an event that will also feature the Surface Pro 4 tablet and two flagship Lumia smartphones.

As Microsoft clears out Band inventory, expect to see more limited time discounts like this current one from Amazon. $150 is definitely a very palatable price point for the versatile Band, but $125 sounds like a price that will push Band pricing from “great deal” to “impulse buy.”