Xiaomi is developing a pair of smart shoes for fitness

Half the electronics companies out there have their own fitness smartband nowadays, including Xiaomi, but the burgeoning Chinese startup doesn’t want to be like half the companies out there, it wants to be one of a kind. That’s why the company is teaming up with Chinese athletic footwear maker Li-Ning to help create some new fitness-centric smart shoes. 

After releasing a fitness smartband, China’s Xiaomi is helping to bring the technology to smart shoes. Chinese athletic footwear maker Li-Ning is tapping into Xiaomi’s ecosystem by using the smartphone company’s mobile exercise app on two of its running shoe products. Li-Ning is also working with Huami Technology, a Xiaomi-invested company that designed its fitness smartband, to develop the shoes. Unveiled back in July, the “Mi Band” can synch with Android phones, and tracks exercise stats, such as steps taken, calories burnt, and hours slept. But perhaps its major draw is its cheap price, at about US$13. Li-Ning, which announced the partnership on Monday, wants to combine the technology with its own data and experience in the field. In the past year, Li-Ning and Huami Technology have worked together to develop a chip, which can collect the shoe wearer’s exercise stats and analyze the running performance.