Fine adjustment, superb features, OLED screen, stylish and sleek design, without much fuss, Huawei new smart watch fit elevates an important pillar of health monitoring to a level that many of today’s wear and tear items, even the most expensive ones, have failed to achieve until now.
Case and connectivity – sleek edition with rugged clamp
Available in black silver and white gold color, the ribbon buckle now also has a shiny silver or gold finish. Not only is it softer, it is also more resistant to heat, moisture and oils. It does not change much in terms of weight. Replacing plastic with metal only adds 6 grams to the scale. The hardware of the two variants is the same. The display has an always-on mode, and a light sensor provides automatic brightness control. Sensors measure heart rate and blood oxygen saturation, and GPS ensures route tracking during outdoor activities. The watch is also waterproof.
Setup and handling – available on iOS
The Huawei Health app is required to configure the device using the smart phone and to get the important update. The Chinese company has not updated the Play Store version since the conflict with the US, and the latest Android app has only been available on the Huawei App Gallery store since then. On the other hand, the Health app is easy to install on iPhone, and Huawei updates the iOS version regularly.
Swipe gestures open the notifications overview, as well as a quick dashboard for an alarm clock, DND mode, and smart phone search. You can also swipe to scroll up to six widgets. The firmware update improves the Weather app with sunrises and sunsets, moon phases and tides if you are anywhere near the ocean.
Health and Fitness – Automatic measurement
It also compares the actual number of steps taken. The Health app connects with Google Fit and Apple Health on the iPhone. The Huawei Tracker determines the approximate distance traveled based on measurements taken during the day. It also accumulates minutes of activity. Huawei calculates calories burned based on all data collected. Watch Fit tracks both heart rate and blood oxygen saturation at night, but does not integrate this data into the sleep record. It shows the progression of sleep phases and light distribution, rapid eye movement, and deep sleep
Battery life – is it worth?
Huawei specifies a runtime of up to 7 to 10 days. In our comparison, the 180-mAh battery lasted for eight days. During that time, all health-tracking features were active, and the watch recorded sleep at night, including heart rate and oxygen saturation.
Exercise tracking
With 96 types of workouts available on the sport tracker, every user should be able to find the right mode for them. However, some common workouts are missing. Those interested in interval workouts will find 12 workouts preloaded with animated instructions on Watch Fit. For custom training at high intensity intervals, you can set goals and reminders as with other types of training. The app includes running courses for beginners and advanced runners. Watch Fit monitors heart rate and creates a stress graph based on heart rate variability. Successful measurement depends on having as little light as possible between the sensor and the wrist.
Phone and notifications
The smart watch informs the user when there is an incoming call on the smart phone. You cannot accept or silence the call, only reject it. Huawei has made smart usage more attractive and improved it in one important respect. The price is affordable. The new sun, moon and sea level data are useful. Visual refinement is mostly a matter of taste, although the tougher range is a clear improvement. The lack of a barometric sensor remains a failure.