The best fitness wristbands for iOS devices
The fitness wristband, a wearable computer than monitors your workouts, is becoming one of the must-have tools to couple with your iPhone. There are three great options available for Apple smartphone owners. FitBit produces the Flex, clocking in at an affordable $100. Jawbone manufacturers the Up, available for $130. Nike is maker of the Fuelband, priced at $150. All three look like the wristbands that people wear to announce their support for causes. Each has its own unique virtues. Let’s take a look at these three fitness wristbands that can aid you in improving your workouts.
FitBit Flex
The FitBit Flex is usable with 27 different apps. It is compatible with not only iOS, but with Android. This makes sharing information easier. It has the most limited sizing options, available in only small and large sizes. It is waterproof and features a wireless sync function. It has sleep tracking and provides an alarm function. Battery life is a reasonable five days. On the downside, the Flex cannot detect whether you are on an incline.
Jawbone Up
The Jawbone Up is compatible with 10 apps. It is also usable with both iOS and Android phones. It features the best battery life of the three available fitness wristbands, providing 10 days of battery time. It has sleep tracking and can act as an alarm. It is available in small, medium and large sizing.
Nike Fuelband
The Fuelband is compatible with only three apps. It can only be used with Apple phones. It has a wireless sync function, but has no sleep monitoring and no alarm feature. However, the FuelBand did recently receive a name check from Apple CEO Tim Cook at the recent D11 conference. It also has the widest range of available sizing. The FuelBand comes in small, medium, large and extra large sizes. The FuelBand also has the worst battery life, offering between one and four days, depending on you usage. FuelBand compensates with the most thorough integration with social media, offering ways to post to Facebook, Path and Twitter.
Conclusions
Disappointingly, while all three available fitness wristbands are good options, there is no clear winner among them. The Flex and the Up offers the greatest compatibility, both in total apps and in their integration with Android and iOS devices. The FuelBand has the best social integration. And it has received some of the best backing, with interest from both Nike and Apple. The Jawbone Up wins hands down on battery life. The FitBit Flex is the marginal winner on pricing. But, for now, fitness wristband users are stuck making the selection based on their own needs and which wristband best addresses them.
