GOQii (pronounced as go-key) is adding human touch to fitness tracking by providing human coaches along with its wristband. The coaches will help maintain user motivation by interpreting their fitness data and dispensing advice, according to Re/Code.
Fitness enthusiasts can get the smart wristband for free, but will pay $99 to avail of the coaches' service for six months, or $179 for a full year. The said fee covers real-time in-app communication with coaches and a monthly check-in phone call, the report detailed.
According to GOQii founder and chief executive Vishal Gondal, users do not really know how to utilize the information they get from fitness trackers, and so many devices end up gathering dust. The California-based company addresses this problem by combining the device with human coaches, the report explained.
GOQii's motivation method involves what they call "karma." When users perform more activities, they earn more karma points. They can later on donate those karma points to their chosen charities, with third parties backing the effort with matching cash. The firm has anti-poverty organization Oxfam International as its nonprofit partner as of now, Re/Code reported.
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