Smartwatch Vs. Fitness Tracker: Comparison

Uses

Smartwatches are meant for communication, while fitness trackers are designed for data gathering and monitoring.

Features

Smartwatches have fitness trackers and health-monitoring apps, but their main function is communication. Fitness trackers help in monitoring location and health, and communication is secondary.

Specification

Smartwatches have a larger display compared to fitness trackers, making it easy to read messages and emails.

Fitness trackers have smaller displays making it difficult to read information. They tell you the time as well.

Fitness trackers have a range of tools to monitor time traveled, heart rate, distance traveled, pacing, and more. They are sweat-resistant and are meant for gyms.

Similarities

The look and functions of smartwatches and fitness trackers are similar.

Sizes

Unlike fitness trackers, smartwatches come in different shapes and sizes.

Look

Smartwatches offer different looks, with some resembling traditional wristwatches and others having a modern design. Fitness trackers are slim and don’t have many looks.

Design

Fitness trackers have smaller display screens and are slimmer compared to smartwatches. However, some fitness trackers and smartwatches look similar. Both can be worn like traditional watches.

Accessibility

You can access multiple health and exercise-related features with a fitness tracker, though some provide the time and notifications.

Smartwatches let you access communication features like texts, emails, and calls.

Requirements

If you need to communicate, go for a smartwatch. If you want to track your vital signs while exercising, then go for a fitness tracker.

Sports Tracker

Fitness trackers help you monitor your heart rate and blood pressure in more than 12 sports.

Some advanced smartwatches also provide this feature.

Waterproof

Fitness trackers and some smartwatches are waterproof, making them ideal for swimming.

7 Things to Keep in Mind Before Buying A Smartwatch In 2022

With so many features and purposes, these are 7 factors to watch out for before you buy a smartwatch:

Compatibility

Whether you are using an Apple smartphone or an Android smartphone, you need the right operating system to ensure compatibility and minimal problems.

All Apple watch owners need the iOS operating system to function at the optimal level. You need to decide on the operating system before buying a smartwatch.

Battery Life

Smartwatches from leading brands like Apple offer 2 days of battery life. Watches that have a Snapdragon processor offer an extended battery life of 5 days after charging once. Some fitness trackers can go for 5 to 7 days on a single charge.

The latest smartwatches offer super-fast charging. While the new OnePlus takes just 10 minutes to go from 0 to 43% charge, the new Apple Watch Series 7 takes 45 minutes to go from 0 to 80%.

Fitness Features

The biggest reason for the popularity of smartwatches is for tracking fitness. These watches help you monitor the steps walked, calories burnt, workouts, and heart rate.

Your outdoor activity or walks can be monitored using a GPS, and there are water-resistant IP-rated smartwatches that are ideal for swimmers.

OS and App Availability

An Apple watch is not compatible with Android phones, and you would need iOS to operate it.

There are smartwatch platforms that support popular apps like WhatsApp or Uber, and you should select a smartwatch depending on the apps you need the most.

If you have an Android phone, you need the operating system Google WearOS.

Bands, NFC and other features

Your smartwatch is as good as your debit or credit card – you can also use it for making payments. You can dine at a cafe and pay with your smartwatch by just holding the watch over an NFC reader.

Each smartwatch has its own payment mode, like Fitbit has Fitbit pay and Garmin has Garmin pay.

Smartwatches offer customization features like band color, material, size, finish, and face color. Comfort should be your top priority, so avoid smartwatches that have complicated clasps. Traditional watch brands like Tag Heuer or Louis Vuitton are coming up with conventional watch designs and smart features.

Pricing

While you might want more features, you also need to consider your budget. There are entry-level smartwatches available from brands like RealMe and Oppo.

For mid-range smartwatch options, you can try Fossil or Fitbit.

If you are considering a high-end or premium smartwatch, the Apple Watch Series 7 or the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 are your best options.

Display

You have the option of different displays in each category of smartwatches.

Premium versions from Apple and Samsung offer OLED displays.

The more affordable range from Xiaomi, Oppo, or Realme has LCD screens.

Mid-range smartwatches have AMOLED displays that offer greater clarity than LCD screens.

OLED and AMOLED displays are more power-efficient and ensure improved readability both indoors and outdoors compared to LCD screens.

List of Best Smartwatch Brands in the UAE

Apple

• Health indicators:

Get an EEG or check your blood oxygen. It is durable and offers the largest display.

• Better viewing:

The Series 7 increases screen area by 20% by reducing the borders by 40%. Read all information easily with the Always-On Retina Display

• Larger Display:

The new QWERTY keyboard and machine learning let you communicate faster

•Online Trainer:

Get the workout of your choice, including Tai Chi and Pilates, by just tapping the watch

Samsung

• Monitor Your Fitness:

Measure your body composition like fat percentage, body water, and skeletal muscle for achieving your fitness goals. The Samsung BioActive Sensor makes this possible.

• Engage With Your Friends:

Create a fun competition with your friends with commemorative badges and a points system for some healthy entertainment.

• Multiple Exercises Tracked:

More than 90 exercises can be tracked

• Check Your Heart:

Find out your blood pressure and ECG in real-time. You can also share this information with your doctor.

• Sleep Analysis:

Track your snoring patterns and blood oxygen levels.

Amazefit

• Design:

Premium design with AMOLED screen covered with a 3D glass

• Music:

Store and control the music player

• Durable:

An ultra-rugged aluminium alloy housing material that’s scratchproof

• Heart Sensors:

Sleep, stress, blood oxygen sensor with PAI meter to analyze health data

• Multiple Exercise Modes:

More than 12 sports, including swimming, covered

Huawei

• Display:

The AMOLED display and polished titanium case gives you a professional look

• Easy Controls:

Fully rotatable crown, side button, and high-response touch-sensitive screen for smooth control

• Efficient Networking:

Make calls, download apps, or play music without connecting to your phone with eSIM technology

• Voice-Based Command:

Operate your phone using Celia, the phone’s Personal Voice Assistant

Xiaomi

• Durable:

High-quality Corning Gorilla glass

• Reflective Display Technology:

Greater clarity for all environments and lighting conditions

• Run Tracking:

Monitor the distance you run, the time, your heart rate, pace, and more

• Phone-free music:

Enjoy music with wireless Bluetooth earbuds

• Heart-Rate Monitor:

Automatic heart rate monitoring

Fossil

• Connectivity:

Bluetooth low-energy and Wi-Fi

• Health and Fitness:

Activity goals, heart rate, steps, sleep, and more can be tracked

• Battery:

Extended battery mode for 24-hour support

• Operating System:

WearOS by Google App

Garmin

• Advanced training metrics:

Recovery advisor, heat and altitude VO2 max, and running dynamics

• Hydration tracking:

Keep a tab on your daily water intake

• Body Battery Energy Monitor:

Find out your body’s energy reserves to decide between being active or resting

• Grade-Adjusted Guidance:

PacePro feature helps measure your pace on uneven surfaces

List of Best Smartwatch Brands in the UAE

Garmin Quatix 6 Smartwatch

Features:

• Activity Tracker

• Control Your Music

• Google Pay

• GPS

• Heart Rate Tracking

• Interchangeable Watch Band

• Personalize Your Dial

• Swim proof

• Price: AED 4031

Apple Watch Series 7 GPS + Cellular

Features:

• Advanced Always-On Retina Display

• Generate ECG with Digital Crown

• QWERTY keyboard with QuickPath

• 50% thicker front crystal for higher durability

• Stress relief with the Mindfulness app

• Fall detection and voice feedback feature

• Apple Music for musical motivation

• Price: AED 2114.5

Suunto 9 Smartwatch

Features:

• Ultra-thin

• Wrist heart rate and barometer

• Strong metal construction for durability

• Excellent look and feel with color-matched premium coating

• Price: AED 2600

Huawei Watch 3 Pro

Features:

• Precision-polished titanium case for a professional look

• Pre-installed animated faces with AMOLED Display to make life exciting

• Hands-free operation with eSIM technology. Make calls or download apps

• Celia, a Personal Voice Assistant for controlling your devices

• Skin Temperature Detector to monitor your temperature

• Effective heart rate monitoring through TruSeen 4.5 heart rate monitoring technology

• Price AED 1530

Suunto 9 Baro Smart Watch

Features:

• Exceptional battery life and barometer

• Ultra-endurance GPS watch

• Abrasion-resistant textile strap

• Lightweight made with grade 5 titanium.

• Sport and outdoor features like navigation, altitude info, and weather insights

• Price AED 2750

Apple Watch Series 6 GPS+Cellular

Features:

• Blood oxygen sensor to check blood oxygen levels

• Single-lead ECG generated through the digital crown

• Sleep app for monitoring sleep quality

• Exercise motivation through music and podcasts, activity rings, activity sharing, and competitions

• Price AED 1788

Samsung Galaxy Watch 4

Features:

• BioActive Sensor for measuring body composition.

• Measure ECG and blood pressure in real-time with Optical Heart Rate Sensor

• Compete with friends

• Sleep tracker for better sleep quality and duration

• Price AED 572

Fitbit Versa 3 Smartwatch

Features:

• Oxygen saturation monitoring

• Track skin temperature variation

• Guided breathing sessions

• Menstrual Health tracking

• Price AED 719

Garmin 6 Pro Fenix Band

Features:

• Power Manager to monitor battery life

• Body Battery Energy monitor to optimize the body’s energy reserves

• Hydration tracking to check water intake

• PacePro Technology for grade-adjusted guidance

• Price AED 2708

Huawei Watch GT2 Pro Smartwatch

Features:

• AMOLED screen

• Battery capacity 455 mAh

• Multiple sensors like Optical Heart Rate Sensor, Gyroscopic sensor, and more

• Price AED 639.66

Frequently Added Questions – Smartwatches

Q1. Which brand is best for smartwatch?

Ans. Samsung, Apple, Vivo, Oppo, Xiaomi, Honor & Huawei is the best smartwatch brand.

Q2. What is the price of smartwatches in Dubai?

Ans. The average price of a smartwatch in Dubai ranges from AED 1000 to AED 4000.

Q3. Which is the best smartwatch in Dubai?

Ans. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is the best smartwatch in Dubai.

Q4. Do you need a smartwatch?

Ans. If you want to keep your health in check and track your fitness, a smartwatch is a useful accessory.

Q5. What are the advantages of Smartwatches?

Ans. There are multiple advantages of using smartwatches like heart-rate monitoring, activity tracker, sleep analyzer, and more.

Q6. Are Apple smartwatches worth it?

Ans. With ECG generating facilities, a QWERTY keyboard, fall detection features, and Always-On Retina Display, Apple smartwatches are certainly worth it.

Q7. Is a smartwatch different than a fitness tracker?

Ans. Yes. Smartwatches have fitness tracking features and health-monitoring apps, but their main function is communication. Fitness trackers help in monitoring location and health, and communication is not a priority.

Q8. Which is the best smartwatch under AED 1000?

Ans. The best smartwatch under AED 1000 is Fitbit Versa 3 priced at AED 719.

Q9. Can you listen to music on a smartwatch?

Ans. Yes, you can listen to music on a smartwatch.

Q10. Do smartwatches measure blood pressure?

Ans. Yes, features like the Optical Heart rate sensor in smartwatches let you measure your blood pressure.