I’ve been following up on a lead for the past couple days that seems to indicate that a Band 3 release may be imminent.
A couple days ago a source at Best Buy told me that the Band 2 is now labeled as “discontinued” in the Best Buy stock system. When I asked what this might mean, the source described this situation as meaning that
no more are coming. They are selling until we run dry.
I followed up with a Microsoft source who sort of confirmed what I thought. But, of course, the reply I received was very vague. But, as with any Microsoft communication there's nuggets of goodness in every bit and bite, no matter how vague the message. According to my source supplies of Microsoft Band are currently limited, so customers are being encouraged to visit microsoftstore.com for all their device needs.
So, it sounds as if Microsoft has stopped manufacturing new Band 2’s and even the Microsoft Store will continue to sell them until they’re gone. Usually when that happens, a replacement or update is pending.
Does this mean that Band 3 is on the way? Could the July 2016 rumor be true? Maybe, this is just Band 2.5 to solve the myriad of random production problems with the 2.0 version? Or, could another recently lobbied rumor that Microsoft is binning its fitness wearable altogether – to go the way of the Kin and Zune – be the actual truth?
I asked about this, and got another vague communication that had another nugget of sweetness buried in it. Essentially, Microsoft will not comment on rumors or speculation (blah, blah, blah), but also stated that it has no new products to announce today (at the time of my query).
Let me help guide you through Microsoft-speak. Microsoft didn’t say that the Band was dead – a company spokesman said that there are no new products to announce today. Today is the operative word here. Tomorrow? Next week? Something will be announced soon and if the tea leaves are green, that July 2016 rumor is sounding more plausible.
