Smartwatches have definitely become mainstream. For a really long time, they weren’t seen as being very useful. In fact, some people still argue that the Apple Watch isn’t that useful. They don’t see the benefit of it. But it has some pretty incredible fitness capabilities if you ask me. The thing we should be considering, however, is how it compares to the Fitbit Ionic. These are the two big players in the market right now, and people want to know how they compare. Which one should they buy? Which one will work best for them?
The Apple Watch is currently the best selling smartwatch in the world, and unlike any other wearable out there, it’s built from the ground up to work really well with the Apple ecosystem. The Series 3, introduces cellular connectivity, which means you can leave your phone at home and take calls over your AirPods. AirPods aren’t necessary as you can also pair another Bluetooth device if you don’t have any AirPods. The Fitbit Ionic doesn’t have cellular connectivity. It does have the ability to track your movement using GPS. But so does the Apple Watch. In order to assess the two devices, we are going to look at three things: How well does it handle fitness? How good is the battery? And what other smart features are available?
How Does it Handle Fitness?
One of the main drivers for wearables is fitness tracking. People want to track their heart rate, exercise, sleep, and understand overall, how they are performing. Both devices can do that. Both can track your steps too, so if that’s all you’re interested in, you can’t go wrong with either. Fitbit, however, has been working on fitness tracking for a lot longer than Apple. This shows in the watch apps as well as the iOS/Android app. Everything you need is in their standalone app. Apple, however, requires at least two apps to track. Activity and Health. Additional apps are required depending on what else you want to track – like your sleep. So from a fitness perspective, the Fitbit Ionic is the winner.
Battery Life
You’re not just buying this to track your fitness. You also need to be able to use it in practical terms. It’s a watch after all. Which means it needs to have a long-lasting battery and a design that looks good enough to wear when you go out. The Fitbit Ionic is extremely unattractive. Like, I mean ugly. I’m sorry, but it just is. Both devices are big and square, and with both, you have the ability to change out your straps. In my opinion, the Apple Watch wins when it comes to looks, but it loses when it comes to battery life. The Ionic (with GPS turned off) can last up to 6 days. But Apple Watch, however, only lasts about a day. On average. And less if you’re using it a lot.
“Smart” Features
The Fitbit Ionic wins when it comes to fitness, but the Apple Watch has some neat features that make it a better smartwatch. The Apple Watch improves the way that we interact with the digital world. And it is leading us in a direction where we might not have to use our phones anymore. This is where the Apple Watch beats out the Fitbit Ionic. It’s more futuristic, which is why I don’t feel like there is a competition. If all you want is to track your fitness, then spend $300 on a Fitbit Ionic. The Apple Watch only costs a little bit more and comes with the ability to do so much more.
Apple is continually working to improve their Watch. Some of this is, however, comes from app developers, but you are able to do so much more with the Apple Watch. Yes, it’s a fitness tracker, but has so many more capabilities. It lets you communicate with your friends and family It lets you check your bank balance. And those are just two, simple things that it does. In my opinion, the Apple Watch wins overall, and in appeal. Sorry, Fitbit!