Choosing a smartwatch that offers all the features you need can be challenging. Especially when the market is saturated with options! We took the time to check out the Apple Watch 6 vs. Fitbit Sense to find out which one offers smartwatch users the best experience. Take a moment to check out what we learned.
When Were The Apple Watch 6 and Fitbit Sense Released?
Both of these smartwatches became available in September 2020. Apple being the first to release on September 18th, followed by the Fitbit Sense on the 25th. Fans of both brands were keen to see the new devices in action, and both enjoyed an initial surge of purchases.
Apple is well-known for its Autumn releases, and it is interesting to see how Fitbit tried to face this new competition head-on by releasing within a week of the Apple Watch 6.
What Features Does the Apple Watch 6 Offer?
Apple Watch releases are observed by tech lovers worldwide, especially when it comes to the new features that are on offer. With this release, you can enjoy sleep tracking, which is long overdue for Apple fans. Unfortunately, sleep tracking only records the amount of time you are asleep. It does not give you an insight into your sleep quality.
Other new features include the ability to track your handwashing throughout the day, particularly in the current climate. The introduction of an SP02 Monitor gives you the ability to measure your blood oxygen. However, this feature has long been available on the Fitbit, leaving us feeling that the new Apple Watch is simply catching up with things they should have done before. Also we would have been happy to see more health tracking features such as blood pressure tracking which both watches currently lack.
See why measuring blood pressure is important.
What New Fitness Features Does the Apple Watch 6 Offer?
Smartwatches are the domain of people who are fit or who want to get fit and track their progress. Therefore, it is essential that any new device builds upon previous models’ fitness capabilities and offers new and exciting features.
Apple Watch 6 offers more workout routines than ever before so that you can accurately track your movement as your day progresses. Plus, there is now a handy cool-down feature, which comes in seriously handy after a tough workout.
Although this feature isn’t new, what is worth mentioning with the improved activity tracking is the fall detection feature. If you’ve had a harsh fall, say, during a run, an Apple Watch Series 4 -7 will assist you in making an emergency call. If you can’t move, your Apple Watch will immediately notify emergency services and send a message to your emergency contacts with your location.
Finally, the Apple Watch 6 takes mental health seriously and continues to offer the ‘breathe’ feature to support short, focused meditations.
Assistance tech
Apple Watches, in particular, contain a number of features that cater to the needs of people with different disabilities. This is particularly important to pay attention to because what good is a smartwatch if only a limited number of people can use it?
VoiceOver, Zoom, a large watch face, grayscale, transparency reduction, bold text, motion reduction, on/off labels, mono audio, and haptic options, including optional prominent haptic feedback are some included features. As with other Apple gadgets, the Watch is instantly useable; just activate VoiceOver by triple-clicking the Digital Crown, or ask Siri to enable Zoom, then double-tap with two fingers to use the feature.
Apple has introduced a groundbreaking new accessibility feature to assist folks with limited mobility. Users with limb differences in the upper body may now use AssistiveTouch for watchOS to take benefit of the Apple Watch’s features without ever touching the display or controls.
Using the built-in motion sensors (namely, the accelerometer and gyroscope, and optical heart rate sensor), the Watch can identify minute differences in muscle movement and tendon activity. Users may move a cursor on the screen using a variety of hand motions such as pinching or clenching. AssistiveTouch for Apple Watch allows users with limb differences to accept incoming calls, manage an onscreen motion pointer, and access Notification and Control Centers, and other functionalities.
What Features Does the Fitbit Sense Offer?
The new Fitbit Sense is focused on improving your life both physically and mentally and pushes further in the area of stress reduction than ever before. A water-resistant rating of 5 atm is also a benefit. It has a companion app that gives you access to basic charts and encourages interaction to track your daily progress.
The best meditation and stress-reducing features sadly do not come free. To get the full suite of support, you will need to continue to pay for Fitbit Premium. Interestingly, with each new Sense purchase, Fitbit is offering a decent free trial to their premium service so you can try before you buy.
The smartwatch looks great and fits well. It has a decent-sized screen so that you are not left squinting when you want to check out your progress throughout the day. Furthermore, the straps are interchangeable if you want to switch up your look. Fitbit is reportedly, testing blood pressure monitoring with the Fitbit Sense.
In terms of assistance technology (“accessibility) for those users with differing needs, compared to the Apple Watch 6, the Fitbit Sense (and indeed all Fitbit devices), are lacking. However, there is the ability to utilise one of two voice assistants. Meaning, with Google Assistant or Alexa turned on, you can use your voice to obtain answers, set alarms, start Fitbit workouts, manage smart home devices, and more. You’ll receive text and audio responses.
Otherwise, whilst it’s not possible to change the font size, you can increase the brightness of the screen for easier viewing.
Compare prices and choose your favorite supplier from this list:
| Product | Supplier | |||
| Fitbit Sense | Amazon | View offer | ||
| Fitbit Sense | eBay | View offer | ||
| Fitbit Sense | Fitbit | View offer | ||
| Fitbit Sense | Target | View offer |
What New Fitness Features Does Fitbit Sense Offer?
With a huge library of activities to choose from, you are sure to be able to accurately track your workouts with the Fitbit Sense. In addition to being able to select the appropriate workout, this watch works hard to let you know how well you have performed each time.
Feedback comes in various forms on this watch. However, many users love the fact that they can track and understand the impact of their training on their heart rate. This allows them to push to improve both their cardio and fat burning skills.
The new ECG feature that became available in October has also left consumers impressed as it is a welcome addition to the ability to track both physical and mental health stats, giving you the information you need to make positive changes in your life.
Pros and Cons Of the Apple Watch 6 and Fitbit Sense
To make it easier to compare, take a look at the pros and cons for both of these stunning smartwatches:
Apple Watch 6 Pros
- Fast charge is great when you need to charge in a hurry
- Lots of apps and cross compatibility with your phone
- Answer and make calls easiliy
- Stay up to date will all your notifications
- More tracking options than ever before
- Clear, always-on display
- Colorful strap and case designs to choose from
Fitbit Sense Pros
- Fits well and feels great on your wrist
- GPS makes it easier to track your workouts
- A real focus on improving mindset and wellbeing
- Lots of fitness tracking capabilities
- Focus on health and fitness first
Apple Watch 6 Cons
- The battery life is not long enough, and you will need to factor in daily charging
- There are no big changes, more just upgrades
- SP02 monitor doesn’t give you notifications when you are at risk
Fitbit Sense Cons
- Subscription required for lots of the features
- Step count is not as accurate as other smartwatches
- Companion app lacks depth unless you pay subs
The Verdict – Apple Watch 6 or Fitbit Sense?
While both Apple and Fitbit are stalwarts of the smartwatch world, choosing a winner was hard. Both watches offer a huge number of great features and leave you feeling like you can conquer your goals if you are willing to put the effort in. However, they both have some flaws that you need to consider before you buy; Apple’s poor battery life is an ongoing issue, and their refusal to offer more sleep analysis makes us feel that they could still do a lot more. The Fitbit is a solid piece of kit and has some impressive features, but the subscription required to access the good stuff is off-putting.
In conclusion, and by a very narrow margin, we would have to hail the Fitbit Sense as our winner because the Apple Watch 6 does not offer enough new and exciting features for us. However, whichever one you get, you are sure to be pleased with it! Both companies offer a wide range of models to choose from as well. Check out the latest Fitbit range and the Apple Watch models.
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Emma brings over a decade of freelance copy and content writing experience and is our Editor, Social Media Manager, and regular contributor. Specializing in long-form content such as blogs, articles, lead magnets, and white papers, Emma also provides businesses with email marketing, website copy, and landing pages.
