Smartwatch

The Apple Watch has evaded Android compatibility for nearly a decade now. Apple claims this was due to technical limitations, but an internal company email from 2019 suggests it was to protect Apple's iPhone sales and the ecosystem.

The Garmin Beta Version 26.93 update is now available for various smartwatch models, including the Fenix 6. The software adds a new option for Connect IQ apps, which could affect the wearables' battery life. Customers must manually download and install the software, as with other recent releases.

Kospet has a new and particularly robust smartwatch, the Tank T3 Ultra, with decent features on offer. It is designed to withstand harsh environmental conditions and comes with GPS.

Polar will soon roll out a new firmware update that introduces several features of the new Polar Grit X2 Pro to an already available smartwatch. These features are intended for athletes in particular.

The Polar Grit X2 Pro is now available to pre-order globally. The rugged smartwatch aims to compete with models like the Garmin Epix Pro Gen 2 Sapphire, with features like MIL-STD-810H certification and an always-on AMOLED display. Also included are a GPS signal booster and 32 GB storage for offline maps.

Huawei has released a new update bringing HarmonyOS 4 to the Watch GT 3. The latest software brings a range of features to the smartwatch, such as protection against accidental screen touching and workout data customization. Plus, there are optimizations to app icons and alarm clocks.

Amazfit has announced a new flash sale for its US fans that also includes two-day shipping for free with each order. The event offers 15% off the typical RRP on some of the brand's newer smartwatches, some affordable, rugged or rugged premium models included. It requires the use of 2 different codes at checkout, which are valid for just a few days from now (March 19, 2024).

Honor has revealed the Watch GS 4 at an event in China, where customers can now pre-order the smartwatch. The new wearable has an AMOLED display and is said to run for up to two weeks on a single charge. Features include biometric tracking, integrated GPS, and NFC for payments.

Garmin has released a new stable update for its latest flagship smartwatch series. Rolling out now as Software Version 16.22, the new firmware contains almost 40 changes with various bug fixes and new features like CIQ System 7 support and an improved automatic workout type detection, among other improvements.

The Honor Band 9 has officially launched in China. This new fitness tracker sports a 1.57-inch AMOLED screen, can offer up to 14 days of battery life, and comes with multiple health and fitness tracking features. Its standard version has a launch price of CNY 249 (around $35), while the NFC variant is CNY 299 (around $42).

Black Shark has released a new smartwatch rated to support "ENC" voice-calls via Bluetooth 5.3 to help track the user's blood oxygen, heart rate, sleep and stress. Nothing out of the ordinary about that - were it not for the fact that this new GT3 has the same kind of curved display and chassis normally only found in the ultra-premium OPPO Watch 4 Pro. The AMOLED-screen wearable is valued at just under $80, but is listed for nearly 60% off that price right now.

The Rogbid M6 smartwatch is now on sale. The cheaper model has a very similar design to the Huawei Watch GT 4, though the quality of the wearable remains to be seen. Alleged features of the M6 include tracking health metrics like heart rate and blood oxygen level, Bluetooth calling and NFC.

Apple will likely reveal the Watch X this fall with a new blood pressure monitoring tool. The report comes from Mark Gurman at Bloomberg and is supported by earlier rumors. This would be one of several upgrades compared to older Apple Watches, with other new features expected, like sleep apnea detection.

A host of recent flagship Garmin smartwatches are eligible for another new update, only a few days after their last. Available to download now as Beta Version 26.92 for smartwatches enrolled on the Garmin Beta Program, the new build makes several crucial changes like eliminating system crashes that could occur when using certain CIQ apps.

Zeblaze is now selling its Stratos 3 Pro smartwatch globally through AliExpress. The new wearable has been designed for outdoor running and features GPS tracking and navigation alongside health metric monitoring. Plus, the watch’s AMOLED display is said to have up to 1,000 nits brightness.

Huawei has officially announced the Band 9, its next fitness tracker and replacement for last year's Band 8. Although the company has implored its fans to 'stay tuned' for the fitness tracker's release, a reliable leaker has already shared various promotional images while also highlighting the lack of differences between the two devices.

Garmin has rolled out software version 10.01 for the Forerunner 55 smartwatch. The stable update fixes two bugs relating to running activities and the CIQ watch face. However, it remains to be seen whether the new software improves a battery drain problem reported by users after updating to version 9.03.

According to new rumours, Samsung is preparing to launch three Galaxy Watch7 models this year. Supposedly, the Galaxy Watch7, Galaxy Watch7 Classic and Galaxy Watch7 Pro are all in development with the same more powerful chipset than the Exynos W930 inside the Galaxy Watch6 and Galaxy Watch6 Classic.

Garmin is rolling out software version 18.23 in a public release for its Forerunner 255 smartwatches. The update comes shortly after the arrival of version 18.22 without a beta testing phase. The new software is described as a “hotfix” that addresses a problem that could cause the wearables to crash.

A new stable update, version 18.23, has been rolled out to Garmin smartwatches following reports of a bug related to the Track Run activity. Users flagged the problem in the forum, and the company quickly responded with the software. The latest update follows soon after version 18.22 was released for the wearables.

Garmin has shared its beta version 15.03 software over the air to some of its smartwatches. The company confirmed that the rollout was 100% complete, meaning all users signed up to the beta program should now have the update. The changes provided with the latest software are relatively minor, bringing bug fixes and improvements.

The Oukitel BT60 is a new smartwatch that is already available on Amazon and is likely to appeal more to women. The watch can even be used while swimming without any damage.

A whole host of flagship Garmin smartwatches are eligible for a new software update. Distributed as Beta Version 16.22, the update introduces bug fixes related to Garmin's Connect IQ service, among other changes.

Garmin has published a new update for a popular smartwatch that it it released over 18 months ago. The update brings the smartwatch up to Firmware Version 2.64 with bug fixes and update packages for Text and Mobile language packs.

One of Garmin's last-generation high-end smartwatches has received a new software update. Arriving as a hotfix on the company's stable software distribution channel, Software Version 18.23 aims to resolve a crash that Garmin claims to only have occurred in rare situations.

Garmin has released a new update to its flagship Forerunner smartwatch. In a forum post, the company explains that the firmware resolves a bug present in an older build that could cause a crash when using the Track Run activity profile.

Garmin has released a rare new update to one of its recent smartwatches. Replacing software that the company distributed late last year, Firmware Version 2.26 only introduces bug fixes and a few otherwise minor improvements.

Garmin Forerunner 955 and Forerunner 255 smartwatch users have spotted an unannounced feature improvement following a recent update. The change is related to how the Recovery Heart Rate metric is saved, with the data also viewable for each activity in Garmin Connect.

Garmin has brought a new round of updates for older high-end smartwatches. Rolling out on Garmin's Beta Program, Beta Version 26.91 adds new features and includes several bug fixes, among other changes.

The Garmin Team has been addressing concerns flagged by users of smartwatches like the Fenix 7 and Epix 2 surrounding the heart rate sensor settings in the beta 16.xx cycle updates. The OHR is enabled by default during an activity, which customers suggest causes battery drain and problems with data collected by an HRM.

Sammobile has learned that Samsung could pivot to a square design for its future smartwatches. It isn't clear if the July-bound Galaxy Watch7 will get the redesign, but at least one future model will.

ESR has announced that the latest all-in-one wireless charging stand for mobile Apple devices also supports the next-gen Qi2. The gadget integrates a removable Apple Watch charger rated to work up to "5 hours faster" than the previous generation. It has now been released in two colors with special offers via certain channels.

Early signs of a Xiaomi Smart Band 8 successor have appeared online. Presumed to be launching in early spring as the Smart Band 9, the fitness tracker appears set to arrive in two variants, which a Chinese regulatory body has shown are being developed as M2346B1 and M2345B1.

The Slate Steel color variant of the Garmin Epix 2, also known as Epix (Gen 2), is enjoying a generous 30% discount on Amazon. Its current sale price is $559.99, down from $799.99. This may not be the record-low price for this active smartwatch, but you're still getting good value for a watch that's packed with features.

The Garmin Instinct 2 series smartwatches can now receive a new beta update, version 15.03. The latest software provides a relatively minor update to the wearables, with the changelog listing two improvements. The new software is currently only available via side load, though an OTA version of the update may come at a later date.

According to a new report, Google has already added UWB connectivity support for Watch Unlock within its Play Services app ahead of a presumed Pixel Watch 3 release later this year. Arriving in two sizes, the Pixel Watch 3 41 mm and Pixel Watch 3 45 mm will likely launch alongside the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, among other devices.

Garmin has released a new update to various current flagship smartwatches. Still only a beta build, Beta Version 16.20 introduces several bug fixes, including one that could cause shutdowns when using heart rate in Connect IQ.

Samsung Galaxy Watch6 users in the Republic of Korea are receiving an update. The latest firmware is available for four smartwatch variants, bringing a health-related tool to the wearables. However, customers have expressed surprise at Samsung’s decision to develop this feature over others.

CheckMag The Samsung Galaxy Watch is a fantastic piece of hardware, especially since Samsung moved to Wear OS. However, the battery on these devices seems to be all over the place. Turning on the battery saver can work, but doing that disables features, so here’s how to get consistently great battery life out of your Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, 5 or 6.

Garmin is now rolling out a new stable update for one of its many Forerunner smartwatches. Available across all eligible devices, Software Version 18.22 introduces almost two dozen changes focusing on resolving outstanding bugs.

CheckMag Deal There isn’t much to differentiate between the Galaxy Watch Pro 5 and 6 Classic. If you can live without the latest and greatest, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is on sale right now with an unbelievable discount.

One of Garmin's current-generation Forerunner smartwatches is eligible for a new stable update. Available to download now, the software contains bug fixes, improvements and new features, including the addition of a Garmin's jump rope activity.

Garmin has released a new update for one of its recent Forerunner smartwatches. Rolling out now through the company's stable software distribution channels, the update brings plenty of bug fixes to the older wearable, as well as several new features.

Garmin has released a new public update, version 18.22, for Forerunner 955 smartwatches. The software brings several new features, like an auto-detection tool for multisport activities. Also included is an improvement to the optical heart rate sensor, though many customers have flagged further problems here.

A new public update has been rolled out to two of Garmin’s more recent smartwatches. Firmware version 9.24, originally a beta update, brings new features and a range of bug fixes to the wearables. Plus, an issue with the ECG app, flagged during beta testing, appears to have been resolved with the software.

Huawei is rolling out new software for the Watch Fit 2, version 2.1.0.211(SP1C00M07). Despite the similarity to the name of the previous update, the change log shows that the two are different. The software appears to bring relatively few changes to the smartwatch and is downloaded via the Huawei Health app.

A well-known standards organisation has revealed ASUS intentions to refresh its VivoWatch series. Likely launching later this year, the VivoWatch 6 will be the first new VivoWatch smartwatch since late 2022.

According to a typically reliable source, Google is working towards delivering three new wearable devices later this year. On the one hand, two Pixel Watch 3 sizes are still rumoured, with a 45 mm size set to join the series' existing 41 mm design. On the other hand, a second-generation Pixel Buds Pro is also said to be in the works as the Pixel Buds Pro 2.