Fitness Trackers vs. Smartphones: Which Tracks Your Stats Better?

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If you're confused about what fitness tracker will be best for your needs, watch the tech editor for Wired mag, Brent Rose, pinpoint which of the top brands will gather useful, accurate info for you to live happy and have fun. A study by researchers as the University of Pennsylvania claimed that the phone in your pocket is often more accurate than the fitness tracker you wear around your wrist. But that study only looked at the accuracy of step counting. So unless you're working to win the Bingo Club's Best Walker of the Week award and beat out 3 other over-60s, you need more info and more rigorous testing. But does that study stand up to testing?


Watches, phones, and other portable trackers tested:

  • Garmin Fenix 3
  • Basis Peak
  • Fitbit Charge HR
  • Jawbone UP MOVE
  • iPhone 6
  • Withings Pulse 02
  • Google Nexus 6

See for your self which brands beat all the others—and it's not the big guys you think.


And since the Apple watch wasn't out yet when that video was made, I've added another tech video below to help you grasp how off the tracked features of the Apple Watch can be made even more on point. Unfortunately it involves strapping on an old school, sometimes bulky chest strap.

Image above is just to be able to pin the story. :)

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Comments: 2
  • #1

    charlotte (Friday, 21 August 2015 14:24)

    Thank you. I've been looking for info like this. Was wondering why people paid for step counters - didn't they used to come free in cereal boxes?

  • #2

    Cat (Saturday, 22 August 2015 20:50)

    They did! Step counters are just basic in monitoring fitness—but that doesn't mean they don't help give a lot of people perspective. But the tracker market has so much to keep track of:)—from sedentary people wanting steps counted and their heart rate to elite athletes needing altitude, pace, GPS, fat calories burned, etc.—that a lot of brands start with the dumbed down metrics. But the more customers learn about healthy living, the more information they want to track. It's a horse race! I'm so looking forward to the future of fitness trackers.