Microsoft Band Gets Strava Integration

Just a couple days ago I reported that Microsoft will soon be enhancing its Microsoft Health application, the framework that provides monitoring and statistics storage for the Microsoft Band. Those changes started yesterday afternoon with a new Connected app, Strava.

Strava is a running and biking community (with heavier emphasis on biking) allowing users to connect with athletes all over the world to help stay motivated. Prior to yesterday's integration, Strava has only been popular on iOS and Android devices. And, while an official Strava app has not been released for Windows Phone, Microsoft Band owners can still participate because the new Microsoft Health integration delivers band-collected data directly to the Strava service.

Just like any of the major fitness tracking services, Strava offers a free version and a Premium version. The Premium version offers additional value with things like leaderboards, goals, race analysis, personal heatmaps, and more.

To take advantage of the free account, jump into your Microsoft Health dashboard, and click or tap the Connected Apps option.

Strava opens up a whole slew of new options for fitness freaks, bringing access to new apps to the Microsoft Health ecosystem. I've updated the Microsoft Band Apps by Platform page already to show you what's available.

There's more Microsoft Health enhancements coming, including an updated dashboard that will give Microsoft Band owners more statistics to monitor. A firmware update for the Microsoft Band is also coming and I sort of expected it to deliver by now, but it hasn't.