Amazon's AirPods competitor can now track workouts

CNBC

Amazon's AirPods competitor can now track workouts

CNBC 23/11/2020 16:16:45 Todd Haselton

Amazon announced on Monday that it's rolling out fitness-tracking features to its Echo Buds headphones.
Amazon said the Echo Buds can track the duration of a workout, the steps you take, estimated calories burned and how far or fast you walk or run.
The feature is rolling out over the next couple of days, according to the company.

a man and a woman looking at the camera: Amazon announces new wireless earbuds, Echo Buds, at an event in Seattle on Sept. 25, 2019.

Amazon announced on Monday that it's rolling out fitness-tracking features to its Echo Buds headphones. It's a feature CNBC noticed Amazon was testing last year.

Amazon said the Echo Buds can track the duration of a workout, the steps you take, estimated calories burned and how fast or how far you walk or run. The feature is rolling out over the next couple of days, according to the company.

CNBC hasn't tested the feature yet but dedicated fitness products, like smart watches, are probably able to provide more detailed information since they measure from your wrist. Amazon's Halo wearable seems to be the company's more serious approach into health monitoring.

Amazon said customers can get started by doing this:

Open the Alexa app on your phone.
Tap "More" on the bottom of the screen.
Tap "Settings."
Choose Account Settings.
Tap Workouts.
Select "Create Workout profile."

After a workout, Echo Buds users can see stats by doing this:

Open the Alexa app.
Tap devices.
Choose "Echo & Alexa."
Select "Echo Buds."
Select "Workouts."

Echo Buds owners can start a workout by saying "Alexa start my run." You can also ask Alexa to pause a workout, end a workout and request an update on your pace.