Chinese gadget maker Xiaomi is gunning for the connected fitness market with a dirt-cheap smart scale.
The Mi Smart Scale will cost roughly $16 when it goes on sale in China. It tracks both weight and body mass index, and connects over Bluetooth to Xiaomi’s Mi Fit iOS and Android apps, so users can track their weight over time.
The scale also has a built-in LED display that lights up when the users steps on, and is covered in glass. Xiaomi says the scale is accurate to within 50 grams, or roughly a tenth of a pound.
While none of those features are unique among smart scales, the asking price is considerably cheaper compared to scales from Withings and Fitbit, which cost upwards of $100.
This isn’t Xiamoi’s venture into connected fitness. Last year, the company started selling a $13 fitness band that can also unlock certain Xiaomi smartphones. It’s all part of the company’s plan to sell a wide range of low-cost products, including phones, tablets, TVs, tiny set-top boxes and accessories—all connected through the company’s software and services.
In addition to the smart scale, Xiaomi also announced a 55-inch 4K television for roughly $800, an $8 power strip with surge-protected USB ports, and a pink version of its Mi Note phablet, all due out in China.
The story behind the story: For now, Withings and Fitbit can take solace in the fact that Xiaomi hasn’t entered the U.S. market. But that will change later this year, and the company has already launched an English version of its website in anticipation. When that happens, Xiaomi will likely want to bring out a range of products beyond just phones, and the Mi Smart scale—which measures in pounds as well as kilograms—could very well be part of that debut.