Posted: February 29, 2016
Microsoft Band II Teardown
We tore down the Microsoft Band II back in November, but we think it deserves a second look. It has a lot of great silicon inside.
The Band II website gave us a beautifully animated exploded view of the fitness band. Our exploded view isn’t quite as pretty, but the results are a lot more interesting.
Microsoft Band II Teardown
The Band II is chock-full of sensors, that measure, quantify, and chart every moment of your day.
| Device Type | Manufacturer | Part |
| GPS | CSR/Qualcomm | SiRF Star IV9333 |
| Gyroscope and Accelerometer | STMicroelectronics | LSM6DS2 |
| Barometer | STMicroelectronics | LPS25HB |
| Microphone | Akustica | A442C |
| Heart Rate Sensor | Austria Microsystems | No PKG marks |
| UV Sensor | STMicroelectronics | No PKG marks |
| Galvanic Skin Response | Unknown | No PKG marks |
Here are the major semiconductor design wins. Cypress and STMicroelectronics are the clear winners.
Microsoft Band II Teardown design wins
Microsoft Band II Teardown design wins
It is always an interesting exercise to trace component design wins back through our database. Below is the two-chip solution STMicroelectronics LSM6DS2 gyroscope and accelerometer. You can see from our database that we have captured eight unique design wins across four manufacturers: Samsung, Huawei, Meizu, and Microsoft.
Using Inside Technology, the industry's largest semiconductor databse, we have captured eight unique design wins for the STMicroelectronics LSM6DS2 gyroscope and accelerometer across four manufacturers: Samsung, Huawei, Meizu, and Microsoft. On occasion TechInsights has tracked a single die to four uniquely named components, and then tracked those four components to over 30 phones.
The STMicroelectronics LSM6DS2 gyroscope and accelerometer is a two-chip solution.
STMicroelectronics LSM6DS2 gyroscope
STMicroelectronics LSM6DS2 gyroscope and accelerometer is a two-chip solution
STMicroelectronics LPS25HB barometer design wins
Here we look at the STMicroelectronics LPS25HB barometer design wins. This barometer was found in 16 unique models from a total of six products. When tearing down multiple models of the same product TechInsights occasionally finds dual sourcing of parts. There are typically three reasons that this happens:
- Components, such as a RF front end, are region specific
- The parts are a commodity and easily interchangeable
- There has been sourcing problems with one of the manufacturers
TechInsights tends to view it as a good sign for the component manufacturer when we uncover single-sourced components.
TechInsights counted 27 chips in the Microsoft Band II. The incredibly tight form factor of wearable devices is going to push in innovation in packaging (Apple Watch), integration of multichip solutions down to single chip solutions, and lowered power consumption (Ambiq/ Dialog circuit reports).
