Apple iOS 7 users were previously the only ones who could use the Nike+ FuelBand activity tracker. Now Nike+ FuelBand app has finally arrived for Android devices as well.
Nike released the first generation FuelBand in February 2012, but Android users were deprived of the ability to sync the wearable as a compatible Android app was not released. However, with the latest release of the companion app for the Nike+ FuelBand and the FuelBand SE on the Play Store, compatible Android smartphone customers can now buy the fitness tracker.
"Nike+ FuelBand is the smart, simple and fun way to get more active by measuring your everyday activity and turning it into NikeFuel. Your Nike+ FuelBand wirelessly connects to your app, allowing you to see your progress on your mobile device and get the motivation you need to get moving," reads the description of the app on the Play Store.
Previous reports suggested that Nike is not working on an Android app for its wristbands. Reports also indicated that Nike was planning to enter into a partnership with Apple and will produce a FuelBand like wearable for Apple.
"...Right now, we're focused on iOS and web. We're not working on an Android App," Nike Support tweeted in early 2013.
According to an IDC report, Android devices are dominant in the global portable device market. Nike FuelBands have become very popular in the wearable industry. Its limitation to work seamlessly with iOS devices has its own disadvantages.
Nike seems to have understood the dominance of Android and now wants to increase its user base and attract new Android customers with the launch of the Android app.
"With 30 million users, NikeFuel is rapidly becoming the universal measure of activity. Now, with the launch of the Nike+ FuelBand App for Android we're delighted to help even more athletes get better," says Stefan Olander, Nike's VP of Digital Sport. "This is another important step in the continued growth of our powerful ecosystem of digital products and services."
The new FuelBand app for Android will work on devices running Android 4.3 Jelly Bean or higher. Currently, the app is available only in English language and in select regions including the U.S., UK, Canada, Germany and Japan.
