The Microsoft Band is finally getting third-party apps

Today, Microsoft’s fitness tracker/smartwatch received its first major update since it was released three months ago. The update adds several much-needed fitness features for users and was accompanied by a preview for a software development kit that will allow developers to finally bring third-party apps to the Microsoft Band.  

Microsoft is preparing to bring third-party apps to its Microsoft Band wearable platform. The company revealed today that it’s launching a Developer Preview SDK for the wrist-worn device, allowing third-party app makers to start to create apps for it, beyond the select partners, including MapMyFitness, that it already works with. Opening Band to third-party apps means not only making it possible for devs to build apps for it, but it also gives Microsoft an opportunity to start building a library for future wearable devices, and to perhaps get more consumers interested in this generation and whatever comes next in less prototype-y versions of the Band.