Amazfit’s Helio Strap has been around since June this year and the screenless fitness-tracking wristband has quickly gained traction among sports enthusiasts worldwide. However, the Helio Strap only supported 27 sports at launch, compared to a whooping 177 featured on some of Amazfit’s smartwatches (like the T-Rex 3 we reviewed). Naturally, users complained, with ball or racket games being the most frequently requested feature. Thanks to recent firmware update 3.3.6.1, the companion Zepp Health app now supports a dedicated Tennis Mode, among other UI upgrades.
Previously, tennis training with the Helio Strap involved a hit-or-miss approximation of the activity. With the new update, users can properly track training sessions while the gadget guages workout intensity via heart rate data. This information is now displayed visually on the Zepp workout profile.
The release notes also show an optimized BioCharge algorithm. BioCharge is Amazfit’s spin on Garmin’s Body Battery feature and should adapt to energy levels based on stress and sleep. So far, this has not worked out as perfectly as theorized in spite of updates, but the new algorithm claims to fix the rapid overnight depletion and low Wake BioCharge scores.
Other features include bug fixes for nighttime heart rate measurements, exaggerated calorie totals during workouts and step miscounts during swimming and cycling. Overall, it is a lightweight 3.4MB update although users will have to be on version 9.13.0 of Zepp to download it.
Unlike many other wearables for fitness enthusiasts, the Helio Strap does not require a subscription. You can buy the Amazfit Helio Strap fitness-tracker for a one-time payment of $99 on Amazon.
I was fortunate to be exposed to the awesomeness of tech as a child. I delighted in seeking out the nerdiest sci-fi gadgets I could afford to play with. These days I take a professional interest in biotech, especially health-tracking wearables, and futuristic smart home appliances. If you ever come to Unilag’s College of Medicine, you’ll probably find me geeking about some biomedical discovery. That’s if I’m not scrolling YouTube shorts. Or sleeping.