Whistle, the maker of pet-tracking and monitoring devices, announced its Whistle 3 product at CES 2017, the big tech trade show this week in Las Vegas.
The device can quickly locate a lost pet and can track your pet’s daily exercise. The newest product combines continuous location tracking with upgraded activity monitoring. Whistle has built a best-of-breed pet tracking device and companion mobile app to make pet care smarter. Americans spend $63 billion on their pets every year, according to the American Pet Product Association, and pet care devices could exceed $2 billion by 2023.
The Whistle 3 has faster and more accurate location tracking than its predecessor. A brand new wireless infrastructure — using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular, and GPS radios — enables pet owners to get escape alerts more quickly and to track down a lost pet using their smartphone.
The app has a geo-fencing feature that lets pet owners create multiple safe spaces for the pet to wander in within the home, office, or a vacation spot. The Whistle 3 mobile app has been completely redesigned based on real-life user experiences with pet loss and activity tracking. The setup process has been simplified, and the new framework creates a platform for interesting future applications, including clinical trials, partnerships, and more.
AI Weekly
The must-read newsletter for AI and Big Data industry written by Khari Johnson, Kyle Wiggers, and Seth Colaner.
Included with VentureBeat Insider and VentureBeat VIP memberships.
Above: Whistle 3 is 50 percent smaller than the previous model.
The device has also been redesigned to fit pets of all shapes and sizes. It is now 50 percent smaller, and it weighs less than an ounce. It is durable and waterproof.
“Until Whistle entered the market, pet loss interventions and preventative care was a system of hoping for the best without much reliable information about your pet’s specific needs. Even today, you’re likely to find pet loss flyers posted nearby,” said Ben Jacobs, CEO and cofounder of Whistle, in a statement. “With the largest database of pet location and activity data, Whistle can better understand how to prevent the biggest risks our pets face — like loss and obesity-related illnesses. Our goal with Whistle 3 is to make the world of pet care smarter, and more responsible, so pet owners can have peace of mind while they focus on the best parts of sharing life with a pet.”
Whistle 3 will be available for $80 on Whistle.com and Amazon.com. The required Whistle subscription provides continuous national cellular coverage to ensure you can locate your pet anywhere there is cell service. Plans start at $7 a month and top out at $10 a month. The free mobile app will be available for iOS and Android users in the App Store and Google Play Store.
Whistle will continue to support the original Whistle app and related devices (Whistle Activity Monitor, Tagg Pet Tracker, Tagg GPS Plus, Whistle GPS Pet Tracker) with no interruption to service. The brand doesn’t have plans to switch off the service and remains committed to all Whistle users. The original Whistle GPS Pet Tracker is still available for purchase for $50 while supplies last at Best Buy, Amazon.com, and Whistle.com.
Founded in 2012 by Ben Jacobs, Steven Eidelman, and Kevin Lloyd, Whistle is on a mission to equip pet owners with simple tools that help them stay connected to their pets from anywhere. Whistle has about 75 employees, and it has raised $21 million in two rounds. Mars Inc. acquired the company in 2016. Whistle has sold more than 200,000 pet trackers to date.
