Switching from a Fitbit smartwatch or tracker to an Apple Watch does means altering the way in which you view your objectives, targets, and achievements, and can initially alienate and frustrate Fitbit customers switching to the Apple health regime.
You’ll get used to it however Apple hasn’t made it simple for switchers to discover a pure match for his or her beloved Fitbit familiarity. As with getting match, you want to work at it. Ultimately, you’ll miss some Fitbit options however favor the general Apple Watch expertise.
Apple’s Exercise app focuses totally on Motion, Train, and Standing somewhat than Fitbit’s extra simple Step, Flooring, and Distance measurements.
Fitbit customers shall be put out by Apple’s totally different method to health and well being metrics, however there are methods to make the transition simpler and power the Apple Watch to behave extra like a Fitbit.
Fitbit switchers must present some persistence and suppleness when shifting to the Apple Watch and should by no means get the identical easy pleasure they beforehand loved with Fitbit, however the Apple Watch does provide significantly better smartwatch performance and nearer interplay with the iPhone.
About me: I’ve been a Fitbit consumer for the reason that authentic Basic pedometer in 2009. I’ve reviewed Fitbits, from clip-on trackers to smartwatches, however it appears to me like now could be the time to vary to an Apple Watch, regardless of my love of being a Fitbit consumer.
Why swap from Fitbit to Apple Watch?
Since being purchased by Google in 2019, Fitbit units seem to have slipped down the brand new proprietor’s precedence listing for brand spanking new options and enhancements.
Certainly, the most recent Fitbit smartwatches have really misplaced options, and at the moment are extra like health trackers in a smartwatch form. The latest variations of the Fitbit Versa and Fitbit Sense (Versa 4 and Sense 2) should not as superior as their predecessors (Versa 3 and Sense). They’ve been kneecapped when it comes to on-device apps and “streamlined” (Fitbit’s phrases) on former favorites corresponding to challenges and social teams. Simply learn our sister title Tech Advisor’s evaluations of the most recent Fitbit Versa 4 and Sense 2 and PCWorld’s tackle how Fitbit updates are killing its trackers.
The Versa 4 and Sense 2 mainly had their third-party app help ripped out and misplaced even a few of Fitbit’s personal features, corresponding to Music Management and, weirdly for a Google product, Google Assistant.
Google seems to be focusing by itself costlier Pixel Watch, which includes Fitbit well being monitoring. If you’d like a correct smartwatch, Fitbit is now the mistaken resolution until you select the Google Pixel Watch. Google even states that the Pixel Watch options “Fitbit’s most correct coronary heart fee monitoring but”—one other slap within the face for iPhone-using Fitbit followers.
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Because the Google Pixel watch works solely with Android, iPhone customers should swap to Apple’s Look ahead to sensible options. Fitbit’s trackers do have primary sensible options—corresponding to notifications—however if you need a correct watch expertise along with your iPhone, Google/Fitbit is forcing you to Apple.
The Google Pixel Watch can be costlier than Fitbit smartwatches—beginning at $349/£339 in comparison with the Versa 4 at $199/£179. That mentioned, switching to the Apple Watch will not be low-cost both, with Watch costs beginning at $249/£219 (SE) and quickly rising to $799/£799 (Extremely 2).
iPhone customers will quickly face the inevitable and should take a look at the Apple Watch instead smartwatch, or simply transfer to the top-end Fitbit trackers somewhat than smartwatches—such because the more-than-able Fitbit Cost 6.
Organising
As you’d count on from Apple, establishing the Watch is a straightforward course of, the place Fitbit setup generally is a bit hit or miss over Wi-Fi.
Appropriate apps out of your iPhone are robotically added to the Watch.
You’ll should get used to multiple iPhone app somewhat than the solitary Fitbit app as Apple spreads the settings and information throughout three apps: Watch, Well being, and Exercise
To date, so good…
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Steps
Counting the variety of steps you make throughout the day is on the core of Fitbit metrics. Whereas the day by day 10,000-step goal will not be based mostly on precise science, it’s nicely held by medics that even light strolling to this stage is certainly good on your well being in some ways.
10,000 steps are about the identical as strolling 4 to 5 miles, relying in your stride, and a quantity that has been linked to a decreased danger of heart problems (coronary heart illness, stroke, and coronary heart failure), a number of varieties of most cancers, and dementia.
Fitbit makes use of Steps as its major objective, though you may swap this to Distance, Energy, or Energetic Zone Minutes in the event you favor—however Steps will at all times stay an essential goal. Apple, alternatively, doesn’t regard steps as one among its three major health objectives (Transfer, Exercise, Stand). Apple as a substitute concentrates its crimson Exercise Transfer ring on what number of lively energy you’ve burned, the inexperienced Train ring on what number of minutes of brisk exercise you’ve carried out, and the blue Stand ring on what number of occasions within the day you’ve stood and moved for at the least one minute every hour.
Steps is a neater metric to narrate to than lively energy, and I feel that Apple is over-thinking its motivational metrics right here.
And what if you wish to preserve counting the variety of steps you make every day through the Apple Watch?
Tips on how to add Steps rely to your Apple Watch face
Whilst you can see steps contained in the Exercise app, Apple doesn’t provide a technique to show it as a complication on the face, so that you want a third-party app corresponding to Pedometer++.
That is the way you add steps to the Apple Watch through problems.
- Press the Digital Crown to see the Residence Display, then faucet the App Retailer.
- Sort in Pedometer (you need to use your iPhone to kind in the event you discover it simpler; you’ll be prompted) and faucet Search.
- As soon as Pedometer++ is put in, you may set the complication
- Go to the My Watch app in your iPhone and on the high, you’ll see My Faces. Select the Exercise Digital clock face—that is the closest you’ll get to mimicking a Fitbit Versa or Sense clock face with stats on present.
- You may change the textual content coloration and different settings right here, however for now, search for Issues.
- Right here you may set Steps as one of many problems and it ought to then present up in your clock face the place you informed it to. I selected Steps because the Prime Left Complication, Coronary heart Charge within the high proper, and Steps & Distance on the Backside.
Word that, in contrast to with Fitbit, the step rely that now reveals in your Apple Watch clock face isn’t a reside step rely however is up to date regularly.
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Simply notice, in the event you set the underside complication to Steps & Distance you get a extra correct step rely than you do within the high left Steps one. Neither is a reside step rely, so relying on once they replace, you’ll usually see totally different step counts.
Switcher tip: Fitbit customers are going to should rewire their fitness-measurement mind when switching to the Apple Watch. Steps should not completely out however the motivating Purple, Inexperienced, and Blue Exercise rings take slightly getting used to. Some will favor steps to be on the forefront, however it’s such as you’ve modified private coach, you’ll discover new motivation ways work in the long run.
Flooring
Apple and Fitbit rely the variety of flooring you stroll/climb every day utilizing the built-in barometric altimeter to rely “flights climbed” based mostly on atmospheric stress adjustments.
Once more, Apple doesn’t regard the ground/flight metric as a major measurement, and it’s a must to undergo the identical rigmarole as you probably did with steps if you wish to present flights in your Apple Watch face. In any other case, the stats for flights climbed is discovered within the Exercise app with some scrolling all the way down to get to the numbers.
Switcher tip: Flooring climbed will not be used as a important health metric, so that you’ll you want to use a complication as described within the Steps part above.
Distance
It’s the identical story for displaying the space you walked, run, or hopped by means of the day. You may set it as a complication within the Exercise Digital clock face—on the backside in Steps & Distance works nicely sufficient.
Switcher tip: Like steps, then you want to manually arrange a complication to see the space traveled.
Apple
Energy
Counting energy both in or out of the physique is kind of a subjective course of, so Apple’s insistence on Energy Burned as a major objective appears an oddly unequal one.
Many individuals equate energy burned as a weight-loss somewhat than motion metric, and it may recommend that health is about being slim somewhat than being wholesome. Fitbit, to its credit score, doesn’t even present Energy as a metric to little one accounts. Energy generally is a poisonous measurement.
Apple makes use of your private info–peak, weight, gender and age–plus different day by day exercise metrics—together with your Energetic Metabolic Charge or AMR— to calculate what number of energy you burn.
Fitbit units mix your basal metabolic fee (BMR) based mostly on the bodily information you entered into your Fitbit account (peak, weight, intercourse, and age) with the speed at which you burn energy at relaxation plus your exercise and heart-rate information (AMR) to estimate your energy burned at relaxation and in train.
Fitbit considers that at the least half the energy you burn in a day are used up sustaining very important physique features (corresponding to respiration, blood circulation, and heartbeat). As a result of your physique burns energy while you’re sleeping or not shifting while you get up Fitbit reveals you the energy already burned, and this quantity will increase all through the day.
The quantity you see in your Fitbit machine is your whole energy burned for the entire day. The quantity you see on the Apple Watch is simply the supposed energy burned by means of train.
It’s not as correct a measurement as counting steps, and it’s a curious one for Apple to hold its hat on. Whereas it’s simple to compete with pals or plan a day based mostly round strolling, boasting about calorie burn is simply not an actual factor.
Most exercise tracker customers don’t commonly change their bodily information—for instance, weight—in order this adjustments, the calorie rely turns into much less correct.
Switcher tip: No machine is correct at calculating—let’s be trustworthy, estimating—the variety of energy burned, however the crimson ring on the Apple Watch Exercise app is a major objective Fitbit customers will simply should get used to once they swap. Please, Apple, permit customers to customise this ring to Steps.
Energetic Zone Minutes (AZM)
Fitbit counts Energetic Zone Minutes (AZM) as your time spent in any heart-pumping exercise. Its default objective relies on the medically beneficial 150 minutes of reasonable exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week.
It charges your exercise based mostly in your age and resting coronary heart fee, after which determines which of three lively zones you attain throughout the day. The more durable you’re employed the extra credit score you get: one minute within the Fats Burn zone earns you one lively zone minute (AZM). A minute within the Cardio or Peak zones earns you two AZMs.
Fitbit units buzz you as you enter every zone.
Whereas Apple’s Exercise app depends on arm movement and the Watch’s accelerometer to trace Motion (the crimson energy ring), the Train measurement (inexperienced ring) makes use of the accelerometer and heart-rate sensor and GPS.
The Train ring tracks what number of minutes you spent exercising throughout the day. Apple Watch measures your coronary heart fee and motion to rely Train minutes and refill your Train ring. Apple says it’s searching for any exercise that’s at the least as intense as a brisk stroll.
By utilizing the Exercise app, you assist the Watch rely Train minutes extra precisely.
Your Apple Watch is searching for an elevated coronary heart fee whereas sensing motion.
Switcher tip: In case you are pleased with a easy Train objective, then Apple’s Train ring is less complicated to know than Fitbit’s Energetic Zone Minutes, however you get extra detailed breakdowns from Fitbit on heart-rate throughout train—properly visualized within the Fitbit app.
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Train
What Fitbit calls “Train” is named “Exercises” by Apple.
Exercises tracked by Fitbit: Stroll, Run, Bike, Elliptical, Stairclimber, Interval Exercise, Hike, Yoga, Circuit Coaching, Pilates, Martial Arts, Kickboxing, Swim, Outside Exercise, Spinning, Golf, Bootcamp, Tennis, Treadmill, Weights, Exercise.
Exercises tracked by Apple Watch: Stroll, Run, Biking, Elliptical, Rower, Stair Stepper, HIIT, Mountain climbing, Yoga, Useful Energy Coaching, Dance, Cooldown, Core Coaching, Pilates, Tai Chi, Swimming, Wheelchair, Multisport, Kickboxing.
Each exercise units can robotically sense that you’ve began sure types of train and recommend you start monitoring them.
Fitbit will robotically monitor: Cardio exercise, Elliptical, Outside bike, Run, Sports activities, Swim, Stroll.
Apple Watch will robotically monitor: Indoor Stroll, Outside Stroll, Indoor Run, Outside Run, Outside Biking, Elliptical, Rowing Machine, Pool Swim, Open Water Swim.
You may flip off auto-workout detection on each units in the event you discover it bothersome, which it may be if you’re out and about shifting round for longer than Quarter-hour.
Apple provides you rather more on-wrist element about your exercise when it’s ended or paused, plus cut up info throughout your run or stroll. Fitbit customers should swipe to get as a lot on-wrist information throughout train.
Each Fitbit and Watch app retailer and share previous train/exercise information in additional element on the cellphone within the Days of Train (Fitbit) or Exercise (Watch) sections. Fitbit’s information visualizations are extra easy and simple to digest. Apple’s are extra hardcore sports activities science in appears. The easy exerciser will favor Fitbit’s friendlier graphics. Extra devoted sports activities lovers will dig Apple’s graphs.
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On a tracked stroll or run, the Apple Watch will present you the exercise period, lively calorie burn, coronary heart fee bpm, common tempo and distance. With extra swiping, Fitbit reveals you exercise period, steps, lively zone minutes, lively calorie burn, coronary heart fee bpm, common tempo and distance.
Switcher tip: Within the second, the Apple Watch provides you extra element than Fitbit about your train, however the informal exerciser will take some getting used to Apple’s professional sports activities information shows.
Hourly Exercise
Certainly one of my favourite well being prompts is Fitbit’s Hourly Exercise monitoring, which suggests you rise up and stroll at the least 250 steps an hour—you set which consecutive hours you wish to be prompted on.
Apple takes this additional by making it one among its major objectives, with its personal blue ring within the Exercise app.
Apple calls it Stand, and that’s almost all it’s a must to do: rise up out of your chair and mooch a couple of bit for a minute, and you’re rewarded with a ping and a congratulations in the event you haven’t obtained up for the primary 50 minutes of the hour. Wheelchair customers get a immediate to Roll as a substitute of Stand.
Fitbit’s 250-step rule makes you’re employed more durable on your hourly reward than Apple’s Stand rely. You will get a Stand level in the event you rise up and get lost to the bathroom within the evening.
Switcher tip: Each Hourly Exercise and Stand are useful, and Fitbit customers will shortly admire the decrease threshold of the Apple Watch’s Stand metric, however that’s possibly simply me being lazy.
Motivation
Apple is rather more energetic in terms of suggesting you decide up the tempo in terms of hitting your objectives, though the Watch will be informed to give up the personal-trainer chat.
It’s additionally politer, with a Good Morning message that reminds you of the Watch’s battery stage—significantly essential given the Watch’s feeble battery life.
At first, I discovered the exercise rings to be too simplistic in comparison with Fitbit’s uncooked step rely. However the extra I used the Apple Watch, the higher I appreciated the rings as a fast motivating sign, and the numbers are additionally included on the Digital Exercise clock face.
Switcher tip: Fitbit customers may miss the weekly Fitbit Progress Report electronic mail that summarizes your 7-day effort throughout a number of statistics. However for during-the-day motivation, the Apple Watch is a greater motivator.
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Coronary heart
Monitoring your coronary heart fee is core to each Fitbit and Apple Watch, and each do a wonderful job at utilizing this information to energy insights into your train and normal well being.
Each calculate the variety of occasions the guts beats per minute—your coronary heart fee in bpm—utilizing a expertise tongue-twistingly known as photoplethysmography.
When your coronary heart beats, capillaries broaden and contract based mostly on blood quantity adjustments. To find out your coronary heart fee, the optical heart-rate sensor within the Fitbit and Apple Watch flashes inexperienced LEDs tons of of occasions per second to detect these quantity adjustments within the capillaries above your wrist. Then your machine calculates what number of occasions your coronary heart beats per minute.
Your Resting Coronary heart Charge (RHR) is the variety of occasions your coronary heart beats per minute while you’re nonetheless and well-rested and never dashing round, lifting weights or taking part in tennis. Normally, your RHR needs to be between 60-100 bpm. Beneath 60 is regular for super-fit athletes.
Your coronary heart fee will enhance if you end up extra bodily lively (your coronary heart is working to pump extra oxygen-rich blood round your physique), and each units use this information to find out how a lot vitality you’re utilizing whereas exercising.
Your goal coronary heart fee needs to be about 50-70% of your most coronary heart fee throughout moderate-intensity exercise like strolling. To search out your regular most coronary heart fee, subtract your age from 220. Throughout extra intense train exercise, your goal coronary heart fee needs to be about 70-85% of your most coronary heart fee.
Each Fitbit and Apple Watch can even examine Coronary heart Charge Variability (HRV), which is the variation in time between heartbeats. Individuals with the next HRV have higher cardiovascular health and is perhaps extra resilient to emphasize. Mindfulness, meditation, sleep, and bodily exercise will help enhance your HRV. A major drop in HRV might point out that your physique is experiencing sickness, stress, or melancholy or anxiousness.
To get to your HRV information out of your Apple Watch, open the Well being app in your iPhone, faucet Browse after which select Coronary heart. Right here you’ll find your Coronary heart Charge, Resting Coronary heart Charge, Coronary heart Charge Variability, Strolling Coronary heart Charge Common, Cardio Restoration and Cardio Health, plus Excessive Coronary heart Charge Notifications and electrocardiogram (ECG) readings.
Fitbit customers ought to examine the Well being Metrics part of the Fitbit cellular app, the place they will see their Respiratory Charge, Resting Coronary heart Charge, and Coronary heart Charge Variability. Within the Right this moment part of the Fitbit app there are heart-rate and cardio-fitness graphs. Coronary heart Charge Notifications will be discovered right here, too.
One other essential coronary heart score is called VO2 max, which is the utmost quantity of oxygen your physique can import, transport and make the most of in a single minute throughout intense bodily exercise. Fitbit and Apple use VO2 max of their Cardio Health scores, however Fitbit makes use of a number of exercise information to find out its rating the place Apple makes use of simply the guts and movement sensors throughout an Outside Stroll, Outside Run, or Mountain climbing exercise within the Exercise app.
{The electrical} sensors in your Fitbit or Apple Watch detect your coronary heart rhythm. If you use a particular electrocardiogram (ECG) app, your coronary heart rhythm information is analyzed for indicators of Atrial fibrillation (AFib), which is a kind of irregular coronary heart rhythm, prompted when the higher chambers of the guts beat out of rhythm.
An ECG will help diagnose some coronary heart circumstances, corresponding to irregular coronary heart rhythms and coronary coronary heart illness (coronary heart assault and angina).
You may examine your ECG with the Fitbit Cost 5, Fitbit Sense and Fitbit Sense 2, and on Apple Watch Collection 4, Collection 5, Collection 6, Collection 7, Collection 8 or Extremely; the ECG app will not be supported on Apple Watch SE or Fitbit Versa 3 & 4.
Switcher tip: Each Apple and Fitbit measure the identical coronary heart measurements. It’s simpler to see your present coronary heart fee on the Fitbit clock face, though you might need to faucet to search out it if you’re on one other measurement show. You may set it as a function on the Apple Watch’s Digital Exercise clock face, however precise information remains to be a faucet away.
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Sleep
The period and high quality of sleep is now seen as a serious and important well being metric. Measuring sleep size and high quality, after which attempting to enhance each can be an interesting mission. In any case, going to mattress earlier is definitely simpler than operating a half marathon. Having a good evening’s sleep will not be at all times simple, nevertheless, and so realizing your sleep high quality by the minute generally is a useful gizmo.
Each Apple Watch and Fitbit can monitor your sleep and accomplish that in comparable methods.
Apple Watch can estimate the time you spend in every sleep stage—Core, Deep and REM—in addition to while you might need woken up.
Fitbit estimates your sleep phases utilizing a mixture of your motion and heart-rate patterns. Whilst you’re sleeping, it tracks the beat-to-beat adjustments in your coronary heart fee, generally known as coronary heart fee variability (HRV), which fluctuate as you transition between Mild, Deep, and REM sleep phases.
Fitbit’s Sleep Levels graph (seen within the Fitbit iPhone app) is healthier trying and extra informative than Apple’s (within the iPhone’s Well being app), which appears slightly squashed and fuzzy.
Fitbit reveals the latest and a 30-day common of your sleep phases, and might benchmark this towards individuals of an analogous age and gender. It additionally reveals your estimated oxygen variation right here, however hides some detailed information (your Snore Rating, Sleeping Coronary heart Charge and Restlessness) behind the Fitbit Premium paywall.
Apple reveals most up-to-date, weekly, month-to-month and six-monthly sleep information in somewhat tough to gauge column graphs. It additionally reveals your respiratory fee, and sleep period over the previous seven days.
Whereas each Fitbit and Apple can monitor your sleep, Apple’s not too long ago improved sleep-tracking performance is let down by the Watch’s a lot shorter battery life.
I additionally discovered Fitbit’s sleep monitoring to be extra correct, registering stressed sleep higher than Apple.
The Apple Watch SE and Collection 8 have a battery lifetime of between 18 and 24 hours, relying in your utilization.
The Fitbit Versa 4 has a 6-day battery life, which suggests it’s far much less prone to die on you throughout the time you’re sleeping.
If you happen to cost your Watch in a single day, sadly sleep monitoring is unattainable. To make sure you may get sleep information each evening, you’ll have to high of the Watch battery throughout the day, every day. With Fitbit, you want fear possibly twice per week at most.
The place there are not any third-party options for Fitbit chargers, there are lots of for the Apple Watch as charging is a extra urgent concern! There are some nice charging stations that energy up not simply the Watch but in addition your iPhone and AirPods on the similar time. Try our roundup of the very best Apple Watch chargers, stands and docks.
Switcher tip: Fitbit’s sleep evaluation is healthier, however Apple is catching up. But when sleep measurement is essential to you, then switching from Fitbit to Apple watch means you should be methodical in your daytime machine charging to make sure that the Watch is powered up for the evening.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Battery life
The Watch SE and Collection 8 have an 18-hour battery life, or 36 hours in Low Energy Mode, which disables At all times On show, coronary heart fee notifications, background heart-rate and blood oxygen measurements, and the beginning exercise reminder
The Fitbit Versa 3 & 4 and Sense 1 & 2 ought to preserve going for six days, so want a high up at the least as soon as per week.
in the event you can afford it, the Apple Watch Extremely boasts a 36-hour battery life.
We’ve talked about the a lot weaker battery lifetime of the Apple Watch—lower than a 3rd in comparison with the common Fitbit—after we investigated the totally different approaches to sleep monitoring. The truth is, the method is way the identical aside from the danger with Apple that the Watch’s battery may hand over midway by means of the evening if it isn’t charged sufficient.
This implies Fitbit switchers have to get into a brand new charging routine, remembering to cost throughout the day sooner or later. Utilizing the provided Apple Watch Magnetic Quick Charger to USB-C Cable is the quickest technique to cost the Apple Watch however there are some wonderful multi-device chargers that mix charging for iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch.
The Zens 4-in-1 MagSafe + Watch Wi-fi Charging Station can wirelessly fast-charge all three Apple units on the similar time, plus a fourth machine through a wired port. A less expensive different is the Alogic MagSpeed 3-in-1 Wi-fi Charging Station.
It takes about two and a half hours to completely cost the Apple Watch. Charging a Fitbit is quicker; round 1.5 to 2 hours, relying on the mannequin.
Word that to fast-charge an Apple Watch you want the USB-C Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Cable, somewhat than the USB-A model.
One side the place the Apple Watch wins: as soon as it’s carried out charging, you get a notification in your iPhone letting you recognize it’s reached 100%.
Switcher tip: You’ll have to cost the Apple Watch extra usually than the Fitbit.
Pores and skin Temperature
Each Fitbit and Apple Watch can measure the temperature on the pores and skin’s floor in a single day, and present you a private baseline pores and skin temperature, based mostly on as much as 30 days of information. Fitbit takes three nights information to start out a baseline studying; Apple 5 nights.
Fitbit Sense and Fitbit Sense 2 use a devoted sensor to estimate your pores and skin temperature variation every evening. Fitbit Cost 4, 5 & 6, Encourage 2 & 3, Luxe and Versa collection gauge your nightly pores and skin temperature variation by means of current sensors.
Fitbit takes a measurement each minute you’re sleeping; Apple each 5 seconds.
The Apple Watch Collection 8 & 9 and Apple Watch Extremely 1 & 2 measure pores and skin temperature, utilizing two temperature sensors—one on the again crystal close to your pores and skin, and one other beneath the show.
Word that adjustments in room temperature, bedding, circadian rhythm and menstrual cycle will have an effect on the readings.
Switcher tip: Each Fitbit and Apple’s pores and skin temperature graphs will present you variation, which can be utilized to indicate the attainable onset of a fever or adjustments within the menstrual cycle.
Apple
Oxygen Saturation (SpO2)
Your blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) is the proportion of your blood that accommodates oxygen, carrying it out of your lungs to the remainder of your physique. It’s a helpful metric to know your general well being and wellness.
It’s particularly essential when you have a situation that may trigger a discount of blood oxygen ranges, together with continual obstructive pulmonary illness (COPD), bronchial asthma, acute respiratory misery syndrome (ARDS), anemia, pneumonia, lung most cancers, cardiac arrest, and coronary heart failure, amongst others, in addition to assessing people with sleep problems corresponding to sleep apnea.
Fitbit customers can examine this within the Well being Metrics part of the cellular app (beneath Right this moment).
Apple Watch customers discover their SpO2 rating within the iPhone’s Well being app beneath Respiratory and Blood Oxygen.
Switcher tip: Fitbit’s information is slightly simpler to know as its app has a lot nicer graphs, however the information remains to be there to be discovered for Apple Watch customers.
Weight
Weighing your self with an Apple Watch will not be going to work, however Fitbit does provide its personal set of digital scales, the Fitbit Aria Air, which is able to Bluetooth your weight to your Fitbit app.
Apple Watch customers can manually log their weight within the iPhone’s Well being app.
Switcher tip: Linking your Fitbit to the Aria scale is less complicated than handbook logging.
Wheelchair customers
Apple is significantly better for wheelchair customers, who will admire the health algorithms and sensors particularly designed to assist them monitor their exercise. When the Wheelchair setting is turned on, the iPhone tracks pushes as a substitute of steps and registers various kinds of push, velocity, and terrain. As a substitute of a Stand objective, there’s Roll.
Switcher tip: Fitbit doesn’t provide any particular options for wheelchair customers, so it is a welcome swap when used along with your iPhone.
Apple
Guided Respiratory
Fitbit’s Guided Respiratory software (the Chill out app on the machine) helps you are taking common and deep breaths over a two-minute interval—editable to as much as ten minutes.
Apple’s Mindfulness app on the Watch has two one-minute features, editable to as much as 5 minutes: Breathe (very similar to Fitbit’s Guided Respiratory) and Mirror, which reveals you some on-screen gloopy blobs to concentrate on whereas you concentrate on one factor specifically.
Switcher tip: Each Fitbit’s Guided Respiratory and the Apple Watch’s Mindfulness apps are simple methods to relax and enhance your respiration everytime you wish to throughout the day. Fitbit customers will discover the Apple method very comparable.
Apple
Achievement awards
Fitbit is an actual champion of giving customers enjoyable awards for passing varied milestones of their train actions. You’d get cheery badges while you walked the equal of the Sahara (2,983 miles) or climbed as excessive as a Rainbow (700 flooring in a day). The additional you walked, the higher the Shoe badge, from Boast Footwear (5,000 steps in a day) to Olympian Sandals in the event you managed to stroll 100,000 steps in a day.
You may see your badge assortment by clicking in your identify within the Account part of the Fitbit app.
Apple’s Watch badges will be discovered by swiping left twice on the Watch’s Exercise app. These are somewhat summary in a bizarre cheap-sports-shirt sort of means, and due to this fact tough to get to know and love; see our function on methods to get all of the Apple Watch exercise problem badges. Fitbit’s are way more motivational.
Switcher tip: If you happen to love amassing achievement badges, Fitbit will get the award. Apple’s are simply random colors and patterns, with the numbers hidden inside like a visible riddle. It wouldn’t take a lot for Apple to treatment this—rent a greater designer.
Challenges
One of many joys of being a Fitbit consumer was the corporate’s Challenges and Adventures, for which you might win trophies, competing both towards your self or pals. There have been digital races round real-world geographies, solo adventures and competitions such because the Work Week Hustle and even a enjoyable Bingo recreation made up of health objectives.
Sadly—and it is a massive motive why many Fitbit customers are anxious that proprietor Google goes to destroy the Fitbit expertise—these have now all been stopped; or in Fitbit/Google speak “streamlined”.
That is in order that the Fitbit app will be “enhanced” with Google expertise, though there isn’t any signal but that this Google expertise with be as a lot enjoyable because the outdated Fitbit provided.
Fitbit customers can, fortunately, nonetheless compete with pals on the Leaderboard and earn badges (see earlier part) for private achievements. The Fitbit Leaderboard is an actual motivation and to lose that may be the loss of life knell for Fitbit within the eyes of a lot of its customers.
Apple points a month-to-month problem to its Watch customers to offer an incentive to remain lively and motivated and to type wholesome habits. Apple Watch problem examples embody burning 20,000 energy in a month, doing 20 exercises and shutting the exercise rings a sure variety of occasions.
You too can share your Exercise rings with family and friends for motivation, and invite pals to compete in a seven-day competitors. You earn factors by filling your Exercise rings, getting a degree for each share level you add to your rings every day. Whoever has essentially the most factors on the finish of the competitors wins.
Switcher tip: Fitbit was as soon as the clear chief in family and friends health challenges however has now given up except for the terrific Leaderboard. Apple’s difficult course of isn’t apparent and it may win an enormous steal on Fitbit with a little bit of effort making this simpler and extra enjoyable. Many Fitbit customers gained’t swap as a result of their pals are additionally invested within the platform.
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Health and Well being Apps
Each Fitbit and Apple have on-device and in-phone apps that you just use to trace or monitor varied actions or well being metrics.
Well being apps on Apple Watch: Exercise, Exercise, Coronary heart Charge, Mindfulness, Sleep, Blood Oxygen, ECG (Collection 8 and Extremely), Cycle Monitoring.
Well being apps on Apple iPhone: Watch, Well being, Health
Apps on Fitbit machine: ECG, EDA Scan, Train, Chill out, Right this moment
Fitbit apps on Apple iPhone: Fitbit
On the iPhone, Apple has a Watch app for settings, and a Well being app for amassing your health and well being information. Some information is kind of buried within the Well being app, and isn’t simple to search out till you get used to it. There’s additionally an Exercise app on the Watch that has an icon that appears precisely just like the Health app on the iPhone, which is slightly complicated.
Fitbit’s cellular app is rather more approachable, like a pleasant private coach or kindly physician than Apple’s bland or austere scientist method.
The Fitbit graphs are way more colourful and comprehensible, and retailer information extra granularly than Apple.
Switcher tip: If you happen to use your Fitbit cellular app loads, you’ll be upset in Apple’s busy Well being app. If you happen to simply use your Fitbit tracker or smartwatch, you’ll shortly get used to the Apple Exercise app on the Watch—though it’s once more extra primary within the information you’ll find there.
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Watches, timers, and alarms
As its identify suggests, the Apple Watch takes itself critically as a timepiece in addition to a wise wrist pc.
There are almost 60 Apple Watch faces to select from, and lots of will be personalized with what Apple calls “problems”—these elements on show that aren’t telling the principle time.
Fitbit customers switching to the Apple Watch ought to begin with the Exercise Digital watch face as this can most intently mimic the usual Fitbit clock face.
Obtainable problems are quite a few (at the least 40), however the principle metric that Fitbit customers will need (Steps) is frustratingly not one among them. See above for the steps (ahem) you want to take to get your step rely, distance, and different health metrics displaying on the Apple Watch.
Timers: Fitbit customers can use a Countdown timer and a Stopwatch on the Versa and Sense. Timers on the Apple Watch include eight presets and the flexibility so as to add your personal customized countdown. The Apple Watch has 4 various kinds of Stopwatch: Analog, Digital, Graph, and Hybrid.
Alarms: Setting an alarm is way the identical on the Apple Watch as it’s on the Fitbit. As well as, you too can use Siri to set an alarm on the Watch.
Switcher tip: There are extra and better-looking timers on the Apple Watch, and the Alarms are about the identical.
Notifications
All trendy Fitbits will be set to obtain cellphone and messenger app notifications when your cellphone is close by, and with the Versa 3 & 4 and Sense 1 & 2 Fitbit customers may even reply calls in your wrist, and choose from Fast Replies to Android units.
With a Wi-Fi or mobile connection, the Apple Watch could make & reply cellphone calls, and ship & obtain messages even when the iPhone isn’t close by.
Messages learn simpler on the larger-screen Watches, and repair was extra constant than on Fitbit, which might all of the sudden neglect to indicate notifications for no obvious motive.
Switcher tip: Whereas notifications on Fitbit are helpful, if generally slightly hit and miss, notifications on the Apple Watch are a noticeable step up.
Voice assistants
Earlier than the app culling, Fitbit smartwatches had entry to each Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant—neither obtainable on the Apple Watch, which in fact prefers its personal Siri voice assistant. Fitbit Versa 4 and Sense 2 retain Alexa however Google has stored its personal voice assistant for its Pixel Watch.
Switcher tip: If Siri is your favourite on the iPhone, then shifting to the Apple Watch shall be a welcome simplification of voice assistants.
Henry Burrell / Foundry
Good apps
In pushing its personal Android-only Pixel Watch on Fitbit customers, Google has successfully given up on third-party app utilization on its smartwatches, which now not are worthy of the ‘sensible’ title, outdoors of the health and well being features.
Google needs the Pixel Watch to be the Android reply to the iPhone’s companion Apple Watch.
Apps on Fitbit units: The Sense 2 has essentially the most apps, together with Alarms, Amazon Alexa, ECG, EDA Scan, Train, Fitbit Pay, Chill out, Settings, Timers, Right this moment, and Climate.
Apps on Apple Watch: Exercise, Alarms, App Retailer, Audiobooks, Blood Oxygen, Calculator, Calendar, Digicam Distant, Compass, Contacts, Cycle Monitoring, ECG, Discover Gadgets, Discover Gadgets, Discover Individuals, Coronary heart Charge, Residence, Mail, Maps, Medicines, Memoji, Messages, Mindfulness, Music, Information, Noise, Now Enjoying, Telephone, Photographs, Podcasts, Reminders, Distant, Settings, Shortcuts, Sleep, Shares, Stopwatch, Timers, Suggestions, Voice Memos, Walkie-Talkie, Pockets, Climate, Exercise, and World Clock.
And that’s simply the apps constructed into the Apple Watch. You may add many different third-party apps, corresponding to Fb Messenger, Citymapper, and, my helpful however helpful favourite, Bus Occasions.
It’s attainable to learn your emails on the Watch, though it’s a little bit of a squint even on the 49mm Extremely display screen.
Getting instructions (Strolling, Driving, Public Transport, Biking) is one thing {that a} Fitbit Watch may by no means do. It’s simpler on a cellphone, however it’s attainable, if slightly fiddly, on the Watch.
Switcher tip: Fitbit customers shall be stunned by the scope of third-party apps obtainable on the Apple Watch in comparison with the brand new, “streamlined” Fitbit smartwatches. However Watch’s important built-in apps are essentially the most helpful, and the very best of the remaining primarily connect with the iPhone and show the info in your wrist. To be honest, Fitbit by no means actually had a lot in the way in which of on-wrist apps however that meager listing will not be rising.
Music on Apple Watch
Faraway from the Versa 4 and Sense 2, Music Management was a helpful operate that is still on the Versa 3 and authentic Sense. Double-click the facet button and there are shortcuts that embody Music Management, which is able to work with Apple Music, Spotify, Audible, and different audio apps which might be in your cellphone. It meant you might change songs with out having to take your cellphone out of your pocket, which generally is a safer resolution when cellphone theft is a danger, and simply simpler in any case.
That’s a operate now faraway from the most recent Fitbits, so if phone-free audio management is a helpful function for you, the Apple Watch’s Music app is for you.
I did discover the Watch’s Music app complicated, although. “Now Enjoying” appears set to a music I possibly performed just a few weeks in the past. However you may activate albums and playlists downloaded to the Watch or choose out of your iPhone’s listing.
Spotify Premium customers can stream music, podcasts and audiobooks from Apple Watch, and in addition obtain them to play offline with out an web connection. Free service Spotify prospects can use the Watch to regulate Spotify on different units.
Switcher tip: Neglect music management on the older Fitbits, the Apple Watch guidelines supreme on music, podcasts and audiobooks.
Apple
Which Apple Watch to change from Fitbit
Fitbit has a wider vary of trackers and watches: from the $79 / £49 Fitbit Ace 3 for youths, the $99 / £84 Fitbit Encourage 3 tracker, fashion-market $129 / £99 Fitbit Luxe tracker, and $159 / £139 Fitbit Cost 6 tremendous health tracker to the smartwatches, $199 / £179 Fitbit Versa 4 and top-end $249 / £219 Fitbit Sense 2.
It additionally sells the Fitbit-based Google Pixel Watch 2 (from $349 / £349) however as that’s Android solely, we’re excluding that from our ideas.
Apple sells the entry-level Apple Watch SE (from $249 / £219), Apple Watch Collection 9 (from $399 / £399) and top-end Apple Watch Extremely 2 ($799 / £799).
Fitbit’s non-watch trackers stay nice worth and really succesful health trackers and act somewhat than appear like a watch. Certainly, even the entry-level Encourage 3 can present you the time in addition to Steps, Distance, and so forth, and hyperlink along with your cellphone for all the favored messaging notifications and connect with your cellphone’s GPS.
The Cost 6 has its personal built-in GPS and ECG app. Fitbit smartwatch customers not but prepared to change to Apple Watch may as a substitute change ‘down’ to Fitbit trackers such because the Encourage 3 or Cost 6.
Fitbit’s latest “streamlining” (let’s name it downgrading) of its smartwatches, successfully eradicating the third-party apps and helpful options corresponding to Music Management, imply that they’re most at menace from the Apple Watch as Google is pushing its Versa/Sense customers to the Pixel Watch.
Right here, the Apple Watch SE is the principle different. It’s considerably cheaper than the Watch 9 however very comparable in options. It’s slightly smaller (in 40mm or 44mm instances sizes) than the Watch 8 (41mm or 45mm) and gives a couple of fifth much less viewable display screen space because of its bigger bezels, lacks the always-on show and omits the blood-oxygen and ECG apps plus temperature sensing. In any other case, it gives the identical expertise because the Collection 9 for lots much less money.
Learn our Apple Watch 8 vs SE 2 comparability and finest Apple Watch function.
The Apple Watch SE is equal to the Fitbit Versa 4, and the Watch 9 to the Fitbit Sense 2. Keep in mind that we favor the older however extra purposeful Versa 3 and Sense to the above Fitbit watches and you could most likely discover these cheaper. However as you’re contemplating switching from Fitbit, it’s the Apple Watch alternative that’s extra essential right here.
If you happen to don’t require detailed blood-oxygen and ECG readings (see Oxygen Saturation and Coronary heart sections above), the SE is a good and extra reasonably priced choice than the Collection 9 or Extremely 2.
The Watch 9 boasts a more moderen third-generation optical coronary heart sensor than the Apple Watch SE 2 however nonetheless makes use of the 2nd-gen sensor. The Watch 9’s temperature sensor will help with the menstrual cycle and fertility monitoring.
Switcher tip: Get your bank card prepared. And skim our reside round-up of the very best Apple Watch offers.
1. Apple Watch SE – swap from Fitbit Versa
Professionals
- Least costly Apple Watch
- Boasts most Watch options
Cons
- Smaller display screen than Apple Watch 8
- No ECG or blood-oxygen apps
- No always-on operate
Worth When Reviewed:
$249 (GPS solely)
Learn our full
Apple Watch SE (2nd technology) evaluation
2. Apple Watch Collection 9 – swap from Fitbit Sense
Professionals
- Bigger display screen choice
- ECG and blood-oxygen apps
- At all times-on display screen
Cons
- Costly in comparison with Fitbit and Watch SE
Worth When Reviewed:
From $399
Learn our full
Apple Watch Collection 9 evaluation
3. Apple Watch Extremely 2 – for excessive athletes
Professionals
- Largest Apple Watch display screen
- Rugged design
- Customizable Motion Button
- Higher battery life than SE and Collection 9
Worth When Reviewed:
$799 (base)
Learn our full
Apple Watch Extremely 2 evaluation
Abstract
It appears like proprietor Google is pushing away from Fitbit-branded smartwatches in favor of its personal Pixel Watch, which incorporates Fitbit’s well being and health options.
Google needs to go head-to-head with Apple within the smartwatch market, and it may’t be preventing on two fronts.
Sadly, that leaves iPhone-using Fitbit house owners out of enhancements’ means because the Pixel Watch is Android solely.
There are many me-two exercise trackers on the market, however Fitbit’s personal trackers are far superior—so if you wish to stick with Fitbit then possibly an Encourage, Luxe or Cost is your finest wager.
But when iPhone customers need smartwatch options, they need to contemplate the Apple Watch over the ever-decreasing Fitbit Versa or Sense collection watches.
How Apple may win over extra Fitbit customers
The large factor that stopped me for a very long time shifting from Fitbit to the Apple Watch is the Watch’s feeble battery life. Fixing that may profit all Watch customers so Apple’s ought to cease shouting about quick charging and begin making its units last more.
Ultimately I bit the bullet and ensure I cost the Watch totally throughout the day when at my desk.
Whereas shifting motivation from Steps to Apple’s crimson, inexperienced and blue Exercise rings is like altering your private coach, getting used to the entire Apple Watch’s additional options is like shifting to a complete new health club—numerous the identical gear is there, however a few of it really works otherwise and there’s some thrilling new gear to check out, too.
Apple may shortly win over numerous Fitbit customers by customizing its Exercise rings to incorporate good old school Steps, or at the least make it a core complication on the Apple Watch.
If Apple may make inviting family and friends extra simple, give some extra character to its achievement badges, and create some enjoyable challenges, Fitbit customers would discover making the swap to Apple Watch a lot simpler.
These should not complicated or tough issues to do. Perhaps Apple simply doesn’t realise what number of new Watch customers are simply ready to make the swap from Fitbit.
