Apple Watch Series 6 and other premium fitness wearables may not be as accurate as we thought. A new study has observed that when it comes to calculating the number of calories burned during some intensive fitness activities, smart watches numbers do not match with other industry-leading fitness equipment. Specifically, the study was meant to understand the accuracy of wrist-worn devices.
According to a report by GSMArena, the study was conducted using a sample size of 30 men and 30 women using the Apple Watch 6, Polar Vantage V and the Fitbit Sense wearables. The data was collected and compared with readings recorded on specialized fitness equipment like the Polar H10 chest strap and the MetaMax 3B. The latter is medical equipment that can track and record cardiopulmonary vitals.
The data was collected on the sitting, walking, running, endurance training and cycling activities for each of the participants. When the data were compared, It was observed that the wearables had ‘poor accuracy’ in comparison to the specialized equipment. It also suggested that the recordings from the wearable devices were also inconsistent and varied a lot.
A silver lining
While the study does show that you don’t get accurate data for calories burned, there is still good news. The Apple Watch Series 6 provided accurate results for heart rate monitoring. Fitbit and Polar’s wearables were also close, but data variations were observed depending on the activity.
There have been other studies in the past with the same observations. But this has not stopped buyers to gets a wearable device. Smartwatches and fitness trackers continue to be in demand not just in India, but also in other countries. Consumers have been aware of the limitations that wearable devices can’t be relied on for accurate results.
But gives users a boost in their confidence to achieve targets when it comes to staying active and fit. Competing with friends and family to close their rings is common among many Apple Watch users. The new findings only add more disclaimers about the inaccuracies of these sensors and the data you see on your device. Since the smartwatch segment has grown immensely in the country, it will be interesting to see how this new finding will affect a buyer’s decision in the future.
