Covid-19 has forced most of the world into a complete lockdown this year, and with that, a change of heart from many about fitness and its importance. Whether it’s out of boredom or an urgent necessity to get into shape because of unchecked binge eating; many have ventured into sports facilities and the open roads to begin a new fitness journey - and with it, fitness gadgets. Fitbit, was one of the pioneers, having specialised in heart monitoring and step tracking before Apple, but the latter has made waves with its ever commercialised upgrades almost annually. Can Fitbit Sense keep up when versusing the Apple Watch? Let’s figure out which one is right for you.
Fitbit Sense
It’s in the name - Fitbit was designed to assist fitness enthusiasts with cutting-edge technology. Even though Apple was heavily involved in making smartwatches mainstream, Fitbit Sense can definitely pull its weight and then some. This is Fitbit’s most premium model and prides itself with many neat gadgets, with the first being an Electrodermal Activity Sensor (EDA).
As a medically certified ECG monitor and screen temperature sensor, this feature tracks the stress levels of the wearer through sweat and gives a prompt reminder accordingly. It is a new addition and unique to the Sense. By no means did this tech piece pioneer the feature on a smartwatch, but it certainly is one of the best at what it does.
Another highlight that this watch prides itself on is its Sp02 sensor. The tool measures your blood oxygen levels overnight and provides data of the results in the morning. This is good for monitoring your quality of sleep and general health when your body is at rest. Unlike the EDA, this software is not medically certified and still has a chance to face technical difficulties.
The device is also compatible with Amazon Alexa and has traditional smartwatch applications such as spotify, Fitbit playlist, Fitbit Pay, and even Google Assistant. The device is compatible with Android and has 6-day battery life.
The Fitbit Sense prides itself on being the "Advanced Health Smartwatch" and it certainly has put all its eggs into that basket which customers can view as either, the most serious health tech one can have, or just another smartwatch with a few extra gimmicks that will remain unused. The price of Fitbit Sense is about BDT 29,700 in Bangladesh.
Apple Series 6
The newest in the Apple Smartwatch department, the Series 6, much like the iphones impress with its gradual climb to great heights through adding more and more with each iteration until it becomes a complete piece with every application to suit your needs - and ones that you didn’t know you needed. This edition went live in September and comes in 40mm and 44mm.
The watch prides itself on Sp02, much like the Fitbit Sense - but neither a copy of the other as they almost have an identical launch date. Unlike the Fitbit Sense, Apple has a dedicated Sleep Tracking app that is dedicated to offering you data purely on your quality of sleep cycle, versus Fitbit Sense’s more general approach to nocturnal monitoring.
The watch returns with its key hits from previous iterations such as top-notch water resistance, Apple Pay purchase capabilities, Always-On display (that is 2.5 times higher than its predecessor, and much more.
In terms of versatility and quality, this watch is a hard piece to beat - and if you are an iPhone user, this will feel like an extension of your phone which makes transitioning between interfaces seamless.
But to decide whether this is a bang for your buck, it’s important to take a step back and think about how much you require to optimize your workouts. If a simple pedometer will suffice, there isn’t much reason to look at any other watches. Apple Watch Series 6 (M00H3CH/A) 44mm Sport Band (Black) is currently available at BDT 52,000 in Bangladesh.
Apple Watch Series 6 v Fitbit Sense: Who is the Best?
Both watches are neck and neck with their quality of technology, applications for the fitness buff and style, but it once again boils down to what your priorities are when it comes to Health and Wellness.
The Apple Watch is a great start for anyone who already has an iPhone and prefers a user-friendly interface with just enough health apps to keep you occupied; while the Fitbit Sense is at the highest echelon if you are looking to zoom in on your general well-being and workouts - and can sacrifice identical usability with your phone.