Love them or hate them, Carriers are looking for “value added” partnerships and updates like these provide opportunities to expose consumers to new applications and services.
Like the recent update for the Galaxy S5 (which did actually help improve my battery life, but included additional apps which can’t be uninstalled) the M8’s update includes some fixes and enhancements to Bluetooth and an Extra Power Savings mode to give more run time.
Interestingly, the update also includes the FitBit application. HTC doesn’t make an app like Samsung’s S-Health which can track fitness and sleep. M8 owners will need to invest in some kind of FitBit to make use of the app, and it looks like a strategic partnership between AT&T and FitBit to offer up a solution for HTC customers.
If you own a Galaxy, you can pick up one of the many Gear smartwatches, but HTC hasn’t entered that market yet, so while shopping accessories, it’s up to AT&T to provide a solution both in-store and on-device.
Of course, if you’re not into fitness apps, or use a competing service, many will chalk this up to “more bloat”.
Full update press release below.
Customers who have an AT&T HTC One (M8) began to receive a software update yesterday that includes key enhancements such as:
- Addition of FitBit application: AT&T is the first to have this capability pre-loaded on the HTC One (M8).
- Enhancements to Bluetooth functionality.
- Extra Power Saving Mode.
As a first-time user of Fitbit you can start to track your daily fitness progress by using the sensors integrated into the HTC One (M8). For the dedicated Fitbit user you can track your daily fitness progress through your Fitbit wearables and accessories.
Additional enhancements to the FitBit app include the ability to:
- Wirelessly sync your Fitbit wearable with your HTC One (M8).
- Log the food that you eat and track calories daily, set a weight goal and manage your fitness routine over time.
- Compete and compare stats with your Fitbit friends.
For a successful install, we recommend the device has at least a 50 percent charged battery.
You can go to the Settings icon in the apps menu > Select AT&T software update After the download, select Install. Once installed, your phone will re-start automatically. You will be prompted to connect to a Wi-Fi network during this process in order to begin the download if it is not already connected.
For more information please visit www.att.com/softwareupdates