Microsoft’s Band gets RSS-powered web apps that anyone can create

Microsoft has been investing heavily in its Band wearable device recently. Third-party apps, golf tracking, and a series of improvements in recent months have positioned the Microsoft Band as a more powerful fitness accessory. Microsoft is now making it even easier to build apps for the Band by allowing anyone to create RSS-powered web tiles. The tiny apps will pull data from an ATOM or RSS feed and display the content on the Microsoft Band.

You can create the web tiles through an online site that just requires an icon file and an RSS feed. The app can then be loaded onto the Band through the Windows Phone, iOS, or Android versions of the Microsoft Health application that manages the Microsoft Band. It’s a 5-minute process that feels as simple as Microsoft’s web tool that lets anyone create Windows Phone apps. The resulting apps are obviously very basic, but if you’re just looking to pick up news from your favorite websites on your wrist then it’s simple enough for that.

Alongside the web tiles feature, Microsoft is starting to open up its Health platform to third-party developers. New APIs will allow developers to access Microsoft Health activity data and create apps. If a Microsoft Band owner completes a run, then a developer could access that data and create an app to map out the entire run. It’s another key part of Microsoft’s plan to create a full Health platform that others can plug into.

Verge Video Vault: Hands-on with the Microsoft Band