Lightning/wireless only headphones? Then Apple should consider its own Vi-like personal trainer

If Apple really is ditching the 3.5mm jack in the next generation iPhone (and I think it is) and relying solely on Lightning and wireless headphones, perhaps they should kick things up a notch and release their own (earbud) versions of the Vi.

Earlier this month LifeBEAM launched a Kickstarter campaign to bring Vi, a $199 AI (artificial intelligence) personal trainer, to market. It “lives” in cutting-edge earphones that reboot the way people interact with fitness wearables, by providing real-time coaching based on a user’s own physiology, according to Omri Yoffe, CEO and co-founder of LifeBEAM. The company has partnered with Harman/Kardon, which has made some fantastic speakers and other products for Mac devices, to power Vi’s earbuds.

Vi is changing the workout experience through what Yoffee calls “Awareable” technology — wearables that combine accurate biosensors with the processing power of AI and cloud based data aggregation. This allows their devices to motivate with real-time, in-the-moment feedback and coaching that’s personalized to a user’s physiology and training level.

Vi’s earphones feature aerospace-grade biosensors, including heart rate and heart rate variability, motion, elevation and other environmental sensors. Simultaneously, Vi interprets data to deliver actionable insights such as weight loss optimization, exhaustion level management, injury prevention, running technique, stress levels, adaptive training plans and more. With the Vi mobile app, users can review their short and long term performance and have ongoing 

Vi is is available to preorder for $199 on Kickstarter, at an estimated retail value of $249. I’m not holding my breath for Apple to release a Vi competitor, but it seems like a good idea. However, I’ll be reviewing the Vi system itself when it arrives in a few weeks.

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