Fitness and digital health, Huawei's new smartwatches arrive

To be China's smartwatch sales leader for the past six years, from 2019 to 2024, with 180 million units shipped in total, is certainly an achievement that Huawei holds dear and one that they rightly emphasise at every official occasion. And not only that, because the Chinese company - 12 years after its entry into the wearable device segment - also leads the global sales ranking for wristwatch devices under $700. Aware, however, of the fact that confirming itself and keeping the (large) competition at bay does not tolerate slowing down in terms of product innovation, the Chinese brand has sent a new signal to the market with the global launch (held today in Berlin) of the new Watch Fit 4 and Watch 5.

Central to Huawei's vision for the future of digital health and fitness is the (proprietary technology-based) TruSense system, launched by the company in 2024 and now updated and enhanced to enrich the user experience of the newly announced devices. The big news is the presence of a distributed Super-Sensing module to take even faster and more accurate measurements of the user's health status thanks to fingertip sensing and multimodal signal fusion. In other words, the process of monitoring a person's parameters now extends from the wrist down to the fingertips, allowing the system to capture richer and more varied signals (optical, electrical, acoustic and mechanical) from multiple contact points and combine the collected physiological data to improve the accuracy of the readings. Thanks to the naturally dense vascular structure and thinner skin of the fingers, says the Shenzen-based manufacturer's press release, interference from melanin and hair is significantly reduced, offering a number of advantages, most notably in cardiovascular monitoring and blood oxygen measurement. TruSense, stakeholders point out, manages more than 60 indicators of six of the major systems of the human body (circulatory, respiratory, nervous, endocrine, reproductive and muscular) and is in effect a comprehensive health monitoring tool. One of its pluses? The Health Glance comprehensive health assessment function, capable of analysing over 10 vital indicators (such as heart rate variability and ovarian function assessment) in just 60 seconds.

Huawei's stated goal is to set a new standard for smartwatches, combining innovative technology and functionality with an ultra-thin and lightweight design. The Watch Fit 4 attempts to meet this challenge by sporting a large 1.82-inch Amoled display, customisable dials and advanced applications such as water sports tracking, atmospheric pressure sensing and an upgraded proprietary positioning system (Sunflower) to ensure more accurate location and route tracking, even in complex environments. Rounding out the FT series' technical features are now barometers, full-colour offline maps for detailed navigation without the need for an Internet connection, an ECG sensor for advanced heart health monitoring, voice guidance, peak screen brightness of up to 3000 nits for enhanced map visibility in bright sunlight, and a set of tools to improve your performance monitoring related to mountaineering, biking, diving and water sports, trekking and trail running. The promise, simply put, is of the highest level of performance in the service of an even richer outdoor sports experience, and in the case of the Watch Fit 4 Pro this is combined with the use of durable, premium materials such as sapphire crystal and titanium alloy to ensure reliable protection of the device without compromising comfort and style. Having said the battery, which guarantees up to 10 days of autonomy and compatibility with iOS and Android devices, here are the prices: the FIT 4 Pro is listed at €279, while the basic model can be purchased for €169.

With the new Watch Series 5, on sale from €449,

Huawei's ambition is to combine aesthetics, sensors and advanced functionality to offer the user a stylish product for better living and more accurate health monitoring. To arrive at the current product, say the Chinese company's spokespersons, it took ten years of evolution and a development path resulting from a mix of research, design and technology. The motto that accompanies the latest arrival is eloquent: 'Tap the Next'. It materialises in a smart watch that is projected into the future and made of premium materials such as 904L stainless steel (an alloy usually used in luxury watchmaking for its resistance to corrosion and wear) and aerospace titanium.