Fitness wearable maker Polar takes on strapless heart monitoring as it launches the A360, the first device from the company making use of optical heart-rate monitoring technology.

The company is the inventor of the first wireless EKG heart rate monitor, and as such should know a thing or two about both technology and health. The A360 looks like a barebones fitness tracker, with a waterproof rectangular module sitting in a silicon band. Control comes through a colour touchscreen and a small multifunction button on the side, while a microUSB port handles charging duties.

The device displays statistics (namely daily activity, steps made, calories, workouts and sleep) vertically. Polar claims up to 2 weeks of use on a single charge, since heart-rate monitoring takes place only during workouts, not continuously. Users can also pair the A360 with the Polar A7 heart rate chest strap via Bluetooth for more accurate readings, as well as push data to smartphones and the Polar Flow app.

The Polar A360 is available from November 2015 with wristbands a choice of either white or black bands. More band colours will be available "shortly afterward."

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