Amazon Halo can now share heart rate data with third-party apps and equipment

As a wearable device, Amazon's Halo wristband is about as no-frills of a fitness tracker you can buy. It doesn't include a display, and outside of the two microphones that enable its controversial tone detection feature, it forgoes many of the more advanced sensors we've seen make their way into devices like the Apple Watch. But starting today, you can use the Halo band to see an overlay of your heart rate across various third-party apps and fitness equipment.

At launch, the integration works with machines from brands like NordicTrack and CLBMR, in addition to software like iFit and Openfit. To enable the feature, open the settings menu in the Amazon Halo app and find the "Heart Rate Sharing" option.

While not an exact match for the Apple Watch's GymKit functionality, the inclusion of heart rate sharing should make the Halo band more versatile, and that's something the wearable desperately needs. Once you get past its more controversial features, the problem with Halo is it doesn't stand out. In fact, most of the platform's best features are found inside the accompanying Halo app.