​Xiaomi Mi Fit app changes to Zepp Life as Huami takes charge

Xiaomi has ditched the Mi Fit app used by its iconic Mi Band fitness tracker range, in favor of the new Zepp Life app, from Amazfit parent company Zepp Health.

Users of Xiaomi wearables, such as the Mi Band 6, on iOS and Android devices can now download the new app, which will be used across all markets, including China.

Huami (which changed its name to Zepp Health in the West) is the manufacturing partner for Xiaomi’s wearables, as well as the parent coming of Amazfit – and it now seems the two companies are forging even closer ties.

Xiaomi Smart Band devices will use the Zepp Health app, which has been redesigned to be richer – and work alongside Amazfit devices. That means users can see their Xiaomi steps and sleep data alongside things like Amazfit scales.

It seems a strange decision from Xiaomi’s point of view to have people interacting with a different brand, and from the wording of a statement from a spokesperson, it might not have been the company’s choice:

“Xiaomi will support Huami’s decision to rebrand Mi Fit app as Zepp Life. While this app will continue to be operated by the Huami brand, rest assured that it will continue to support compatible Xiaomi devices, including Mi Smart Band Series and Mi Smart Scales.”

And the company also confirmed it’s merging its two Xiaomi Health and Xiaomi Wear/Xiaomi Wear Lite apps to be called Mi Fitness.

Analysis: What does it all mean?

This could indicate something of a land grab from Huami/Zepp, folding the millions of Xiaomi users into its stable.

And in a statement from Zepp Health, it points out the large scale of its ecosystem, and reaffirms that it’s still working closely with Xiaomi.

“The new Zepp Life app focuses more on the health and daily activity of every user to deliver a better user experience,” a spokesperson told Wareable.

“Zepp Health is dedicated to offering high-quality services to about 100 million of global users. The two parties are also committed to ongoing strategic partnerships in chip development, algorithm research, and technological advancement in the field of smart wearables.”

We’re only weeks away from a Xiaomi Mi Band 7, which is rumored to feature impressive new stats, and we’ve just had a pair of new smartwatches.

A better app is certainly welcome, and having Zepp Health power the software and analysis seems like a benefit for users.