Nokia launches sleep tracker for beds after Apple buys similar startup
[SAN FRANCISCO] Nokia Oyj, continuing to seek success in new hardware categories after exiting the consumer phone business, is introducing a sleep tracker that will nestle under a person's bed sheets.
The Finnish company calls its device, the Nokia Sleep. It has movement sensors and software algorithms that can determine how long a person slept, if the sleep was interrupted, and whether the person snored.
Nokia's software will give people an overall "sleep score", and will also work with smart home appliances so that, for example, lights can automatically turn on or off if the system senses that the person has fallen asleep or woken up.
Rob Le Bras-Brown, Nokia's executive in charge of health products, said in an interview that the system isn't as accurate as clinical-grade sleep studies. But he believes it's more useful than its competitors.
Nokia is launching the US$99 device at the CES consumer electronics show in Las Vegas this week. That's months after Apple Inc acquired a Finnish startup called Beddit, which sold a similar product.
Apple still sells the Beddit sleep tracker on its website but hasn't branded it as an Apple product, and hasn't integrated the technology into its own product line.
Withings, a health device company acquired by Nokia in 2016, sold its own sleep tracker called the Aura for nearly US$300.
BLOOMBERG
BT is now on Telegram!
For daily updates on weekdays and specially selected content for the weekend. Subscribe to t.me/BizTimes
Consumer & Healthcare
Possible class action lawsuit against Cordlife by customers could take at least 2 years
Chinese tariffs could leave cognac makers with too much brandy
Holiday Inn owner IHG’s Q1 revenue up 2.6%, leisure travel demand remains strong
WSJ moves Asia headquarters from Hong Kong to Singapore
South Korea to slap fines on food suppliers for ‘shrinkflation’
Olam outbids Dreyfus’ sweetened deal for Australia’s Namoi, raises offer to A$0.66 per share