Fitbit and Apple are the two biggest players in the smartwatch industry. So, the majority of consumers will pick either a Fitbit or an Apple Watch. But what’s the difference between these two brands?
Well, it has been said that Fitbits are primarily intended to be fitness trackers whilst Apple Watches are primarily intended to be personal assistants.
Whilst this might be half-true, I don’t think it’s a very helpful contrast to make, because both watches offer a range of features. Indeed, both watch brands can be considered hybrids, so I don’t think it’s fair to pigeonhole them as either a ‘smartwatch’ or a ‘fitness tracker’.
Apple usually has a one model fits all strategy with the Apple Watch 7 and the functionally scaled-down version – the Apple Watch SE. Apple has recently launched the Apple Watch 8 and SE 2 , added sensors and improved many technical features:
- Precision dual frequency GPS.
- Up to 36 hours of battery life.
- Advanced Health sensors like temperature sensing.
- Car Crash Detection, based on a g-force accelerometer.
- Fall detection.
- Always On Retina display.
On the other hand, Fitbit has a multi-model approach with different looks and designs and a slightly different appeal. Some models take the square form while others are bands. The Fitbit model range caters to women, men, and even kids with the Fitbit Ace. Fitbit buyers have a lot more decision-making when it comes to which Fitbit is right but the choice is varied and good.
What are the differences between a Fitbit and an Apple Watch?
If you’re feeling confused, then don’t worry. In this article, I’ll show you how Fitbits compare with Apple Watches in terms of cost, battery life, fitness tracking, and extra features. So, let’s begin!
1. Assistance and incident detection
Fitbit
Unfortunately, Fitbit is lacking when it comes to emergency SOS, assistance and incident detection features. You can look on the Fitbit forum and see plenty of users, worldwide, have been begging for things like fall detection and emergency SOS alerts that run off the device’s GPS.
Fitbit is now unable to provide such a function, no matter how valuable it may be, since the firm is focused on fitness and health rather than safety. Fitbit would have to grow to build a new division staffed with professional, trained operators to react to crises to equip devices with an alarm system, not to mention the myriad of permissions it would have to get in the first place.
Simply said, it lacks the essential infrastructure at this time. Another alternative is for the corporation to work with an established medical alert company to coordinate services, although this is not as simple as it may seem.
Fibit Accessibility
Fitbit does, on the other hand, offer several accessibility functions. Fitbraille, for example, is an app available in the Versa and Ionic. It allows blind and partially sighted persons to experience time in a novel and original way: there is no sound, and everything is just for you. It represents Braille letters with haptic stimulation and provides immediate access to Time and Step count.
For people who are visually impaired, the Amazon Alexa speech assistant on your watch can read out loud your steps, resting heart rate, sleep score, and a variety of other metrics. Those intending to buy the new Fitbit Sense 2 or Versa 4 should expect this feature as their predecessors already offer it.
Users have expressed their desire to adjust (raise) the text size on all Fitbit devices in several postings on the Fitbit forum, however, the official comment from the business is that this is “in planning.” If you’re having trouble seeing the screen, you may turn up the brightness.
Apple
If your Apple Watch 4 through 8 (including SE) detects a heavy fall while you’re wearing it, it taps you on the wrist, sounds an alarm, and displays an alert. By touching the Digital Crown, clicking Close in the upper left-hand corner, or tapping ‘I’m OK,’ you may call emergency services or dismiss the warning.
If your Apple Watch senses movement, it will wait for you to react to the alarm before contacting emergency personnel. Then, the watch will automatically make the call if it senses that you have been still for around a minute.
All new and even older Apple watches have GPS, ECG App and also NFC. All the features are quite advanced and not present on many low-end Fitbit devices.
Also, the Apple Watch will send a message to your emergency contacts with your position when the conversation finishes, informing them that your watch detected a hard fall and dialed 911. Your emergency contacts are pulled from your Medical ID by your watch.
There are various emergency service numbers in certain nations and areas. The Watch will dial the number connected with ambulance services in these countries.
Apple Accessibility
Apple devices, on the other hand, are incredibly inclusive. Specifically, Apple Watches have several functions that cater to the requirements of persons with various impairments.
For example, VoiceOver, zoom, bold text, a big watch face, transparency reduction, grayscale, motion reduction, on/off labels, mono audio, and a haptic engine with optional Prominent Haptic feedback are all included. As with other Apple devices, Watch is immediately usable; merely triple-click the Digital Crown to activate VoiceOver, or ask Siri to enable Zoom, then double-tap with two fingers to utilize the capability.
More recently, Apple released a breakthrough new accessibility function to help those with restricted mobility. Users with upper body limb differences can now utilize AssistiveTouch for watchOS to experience the advantages of the Apple Watch without ever touching the display or controls.
The Watch can detect tiny variations in muscle movement and tendon activity using built-in motion sensors such as the gyroscope and accelerometer, as well as the optical heart rate sensor and on-device machine learning. This allows users to navigate a cursor on the display using a series of hand gestures like pinching or clenching. Those with limb differences may use AssistiveTouch on Apple Watch to more easily accept incoming calls, manipulate an onscreen motion pointer, and access the Control and Notification Centers, and other features.
The Apple Watch 8 recently released has a Crash detection function that instantly alerts when being involved in a car accident or like.
2. Heart rate tracking
Firstly, it should be said that both watches are very good at tracking heart rate (HR). Fitbit was the first company to offer continuous HR tracking on a wrist, so consider them trailblazers in this industry. Worth mentioning is the new Fitbit Sense 2 will be THE top model for health tracking.
Nevertheless, Apple’s HR tracking technology is now mostly superior, especially when you look at the 6 Series. Their sophisticated watches can detect the first signs of atrial fibrillation (an irregular heartbeat). Indeed, that’s why we should celebrate the Apple Watch as a health tracker (not just a smartwatch).
3. Activity and fitness tracking
Both watches perform highly in this category, though Fitbit may just have the edge. This is because some Fitbits offer on-screen workouts, and these are great for keeping you motivated.
Also, the Charge 4 is particularly good at detecting stairs climbed when compared to other watches like the Apple Watch. The Fitbit Charge 5 gives you even more.
Nevertheless, both watches offer automatic activity detection – which makes fitness tracking so much more convenient. As a result, either watch would make a great activity/fitness tracker.
4. Female health tracking
Both Fitbit and Apple offer female health-tracking features. Although they were late adding this feature compared to competitors like Garmin, at least it’s here to stay now.
For Apple users, it’s simple to map your menstrual cycle with iOS 13 or later, so those who menstruate can get a clearer overview of their health. A menstrual cycle can be tracked via the Health app on an iPhone or directly on the wrist through the Cycle Tracking app on an Apple Watch 6 or 7. It’s possible to set up notifications for when to expect your next cycle or fertile window. Apple has improved this even further with the Apple Watch 8 temperature sensor which can help monitor fertility and ovulation based on body heat.
As for Fitbit, Track your time in the Fitbit app to learn about your average period duration, predicted fertile window, ovulation, and other important stats. Continue to record and check your cycles to get more precise estimates, and track information about your cycle and get a better understanding of menstrual trends.
So, if menstrual/female health tracking is important to you, investing in an Apple watch may be worth it. In fact, all Apple technology will have this feature, so you may even consider switching to an Apple handset. The integration of the two is where Apple excels v.s. Fitbit and is a true advantage and is true to the claim that the Apple Watch is an extension of your iPhone.
5. Cost (and value for money)
You probably don’t need me to tell you that Apple Watches are expensive! (Although there are places you can find cheap or used Apple watches). Bought new, the latest Apple Watch 8 is around 4 times vs the price of the Fitbit Charge 5.
With the introduction of a newer Fitbit Sense 2 (second gen) and Charge 5 and Luxe, this is no longer the case. Worth mentioning is the Fitbit Versa 4 will also give Apple a good fight for the money.
August saw the announcement of new Fitbit models being released.
The Sense 2 includes a GPS receiver, a body temperature sensor, and a 50-meter waterproof certification. Sense 2 also has a gyroscope, Altimeter, 3-axis accelerometer, skin temperature sensor, light sensor, and more.
The Versa 4 sensor array is comparable to that of the Versa 3. Neither an ECG nor a temperature sensor are present. However, it features a built-in GPS, a microphone, a Heart rate sensor, an Altimeter, a light sensor, and can withstand water pressures up to 50 meters.
Read more about the new Fitbit models coming this year.
With Apple, you are partly paying for the brand. But, at the same time, the watch is packed full of features, so you are getting a lot for your money. If you want to get the newest and greatest – head for the Apple Watch 8. For the budget-conscious, have a look at the new Apple Watch SE 2.
However, you won’t be getting value for money if you’re paying for features you don’t use. So, for some people, Fitbits do offer better value for money.
6. Battery life
When it comes to battery life, Fitbits are far superior (see table below). In fact, one of the biggest complaints about the Apple Watch is its battery life, averaging around 18 hours. Battery life is indeed the weakness of the Apple Watch vs Fitbit.