Microsoft Band 2 expected to be launched in 2015 to resolve issues in current-gen wearable

Microsoft had released its first wearable device the Band, in the US last year, and in the UK this year. With a global rollout still pending, the company is now apparently working on a Microsoft Band 2 due for release in 2015.

According to a Neowin report, that in turn quotes a WinFuture Deutschland report, the purported Microsoft Band 2 is currently being tested internally at Redmond's Europe unit. This device is expected to be incorporated with enhanced capabilities to mitigate the shortcoming of its predecessor, the current-gen Microsoft Band.

As per a Winbeta report, users of the current MS Band have complained about multiple issues within the wearable, one of which is that the display is found to be prone to scratches.

Other reported issues include below-par battery life of the wearable, and the heaviness of the Band as a whole when worn around the wrist.

Apart from the above, another interesting aspect that has surfaced via the Winbeta report (and WinFuture) is the possibility of MS Band 2 being released with the highly anticipated Microsoft Windows 10 operating system that is slated for release during the summer of 2015.

However, the technical aspects of Microsoft Band 2 are yet to surface, and these are expected to be a notch higher than the key tech-specs of the currently existing Microsoft Band mentioned below:

Key technical specifications of current Microsoft Band

• Touch-enabled TFT full-colour display
• 64MB internal storage
• ARM Cortex M4 processor
• Optical heart rate sensor, GPS, UV Sensor, along with a host of other sensors
• Low-energy Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity
• Microphone and Haptic vibration motor embedded
• Compatibility: Windows Phone 8.1 Update, iOS 7.1, iOS 8, and Android 4.3, 4.4 compatible
• Built-in Smart UV Monitor
• Ability to read text messages, and view incoming calls, even when on the move
• Email notifications and Calendar integration
• Two 100mAh rechargeable Li-Ion batteries, that are claimed to operate for at least 48 hours in normal usage conditions
• Batteries can be charged to full, in less than 1.5 hours
• Dynamic accessibility to Microsoft Windows Store, Google Play Store and Apple App repositories
• The Band weighs 60gm.

In the US, the Microsoft Band is priced at $200 (£135).