Wilson Has A Smart Basketball That Know When You Score

Plenty of wearables these days have settings for tracking different sport activities, but what if you just want to shoot some hoops and not have to deal with a wristband and configuring options? That's where Wilson Sporting Goods steps in. The company has unveiled its Wilson X Connected Basketball, which has a sensor inside that can detect and track when you make your shots. The ball looks and feels almost exactly like a "dumb" basketball, and it pairs with an iOS app (Android is in the works) for stat tracking.

The ball's sensor relies on algorithms to know when someone is making a basket or missing. It's designed be work with a 10-foot hoop, but can also be used with an 8-foot hoop. The sensor inside features a three-axis accelerometer and pair with the app over Bluetooth.

While the sensor can't be removed and there's no way to charge the ball, it relies on low-power usage and has a battery that's designed to last for about 100,000 shots, or roughly two years with heavy usage. Once the sensor is kaput, the ball can still be used as just a regular, non-smart basketball, or owners can contact Wilson to see about trading it in.

The X Connected Basketball is priced at $200, but it's focus is very specific: it can only track distant hoop shots for a single person. So the ball can't tell when it's being passed to another person, and it doesn't track dribbling or other movements. Along with tracking the lifetime number of shots made, the iOS app can rate improvements and features badges for milestones achieved.

SOURCE Wilson