Apple Watches share a lot of features with Fitbit devices, but there are also plenty of differences.
Fitbit and Apple are two of the biggest names to consider if you’ve been thinking about buying a new smartwatch or fitness tracker – but which is the right one for you? We’re here to guide you through the key differences between the two brands, and equip you with the facts you need to make an informed choice. While Fitbits and Apple Watches share many similar features, including daily activity and heart rate tracking, there are also lots of key differences that you should know about when choosing between the two. Knowing where to start can be daunting, and upgrading can also throw up myriad possibilities that make it tough to choose which is the right watch for you. With that, here’s some help in choosing the right smartwatch for you. From the current Apple Watch models to the best Fitbits, we have you covered. It’s been six years since the first Apple Watch was released, and since then it’s seen a course correction from a focus of apps for the device, to focusing primarily on your health. Currently there are three models available directly from Apple: All three use Apple’s latest operating system for wearables, WatchOS 7, which introduced new watch faces, and much faster animations, so everything feels snappier, alongside sleep-tracking and even hand-washing detection. Battery life Your Apple Watch’s battery life mainly depends on how often you will use the fitness features throughout the day, but as soon as you put it in at 8am and then come back to watch Netflix at 7pm, you will usually be left with 40% charge remaining. This will be further extended on the Series 3 and SE due to them not having the always-on screen of the Series 6. Fitness features There are a ton of features that you can cater to your needs, including a raft of activity-tracking options, plus on-board GPS so you can leave your phone at home and still record your runs, swims and rides. Alongside this, if you know of others who also have an Apple Watch, you can see their fitness goals throughout the day, and even compete with them over a seven day period. Better yet, exclusive fitness goals appear during the month, to further challenge you on the tasks you usually take part in. From swimming, to walking, and strength-goals, they’re all here. Another great feature, which is exclusive to the Apple Watch SE and Series 6, is fitness detection. If you’re 10 minutes into a walk for example, the Watch will display a prompt asking whether you want to track it. Those first 10 minutes will already be logged if you choose ‘Yes’, meaning your entire journey will be tracked. It’s a very handy feature, and means that even if you’re just running errands and wouldn’t normally think to activate tracking, it will still count towards completing your daily Rings. Towards the end of the 2020, Apple is also bringing out a new service called Fitness Plus, which will let you work your way through workout sessions led by professional coaches that you can curate to suit your needs.
