HTC joins forces with Under Armour for high-tech fitness
The two companies are collaborating on a series of products to help athletes map, plan and control their fitness regimens.
Smartphone maker HTC announced Tuesday it is partnering up with athletic equipment company Under Armour to bring cutting-edge technology to athletes. The mobile company will design a series of products to work in conjunction with Under Armour's fitness apps and website.
"Mobile innovation has completely changed people's lives in recent years, making us more connected to our world than ever before," HTC CEO Peter Chou said in a statement. "Now we want to help people be better connected with themselves."
Over the past couple of years, fitness apps, gadgets and trackers have skyrocketed in popularity. In 2014, health apps grew at a rate 87 percent faster than the rest of the app industry, according to a study by app analytics company Flurry. This boom in tech and fitness comes with several top companies launching or planning apps and accessories, such as Apple's iOS 8 HealthKit software, Google's health service platform Google Fit and Samsung's health-focused fitness band Gear Fit.
Under Armour has increasingly brought its athletic angle to the tech world. In 2013, the company released the Armour39 fitness tracker, designed for hardcore fitness fanatics. A few months later, the company acquired health app-maker MapMyFitness for $150 million.
As far as the partnership between HTC and Under Armour, it's unclear what the final products will look like and how they will work. The companies only say they have been collaborating to create HTC devices with UA Record, which is Under Armour's newest health and fitness app, which includes a suite of features like MapMyRun and MapMyRide. These devices will be released this year, according to an HTC spokesperson.
"We want our products to meet the needs of every individual," Chou said, "whether you're training for a personal best in your next half marathon, or you're a professional athlete honing your performance with a full training staff behind you."