Ringo Chiu/Shutterstock The Apple Watch is the perfect complement to an Apple iPhone and, in fact, it only works with Apple devices. While you can use other third-party smartwatches with an iPhone from brands like Garmin, Amazfit, Fitbit, Withings and others, there are some features exclusive to the Apple Watch that you might enjoy. Some are specific only to the newest models, but most are widely available on all the latest models, even going back several generations. It’s not just about seamless connectivity to iPhone, like syncing of available apps, Siri voice control integration, and compatibility with other Apple products, from iPads to Apple TV. There are other features exclusive to the Apple Watch that may be worth paying a little more for one. From access to specific apps to special health notifications with newer models and adjustable tracking based on your unique situation, these features, or at least a specific version of them in some cases, are only available for Apple Watch. Access to Apple applications Onfokus/Getty Images The most obvious feature is access to Apple apps, which you’ll only find natively on Apple Watch. This includes popular ones like Apple Fitness+, which, with a subscription, lets you track Apple Fitness workouts from the watch face, including advanced features like real-time heart rate and interval tracking. Other smartwatches also have their own add-on services or allow you to access third-party services (which you can also do with Apple Watch). But Fitness+ offers a seamless experience. Apple Music is another native app that you can only access from Apple Watch. With a subscription, you can control playback from the watch and download playlists directly to the watch’s internal memory, playing them without needing your phone nearby or even internet access. Of course, Apple Pay is another app exclusive to the Apple Watch, letting you use the same virtual cards you have loaded on your phone to tap and pay. It also works for instant payment for metro rides, without needing to open the app or double-click to confirm payment. And of course, there’s Apple Maps, another exclusive app for the Apple Watch, which can come in handy when you’re walking around town. Suspend logging if necessary Raditya/Getty Images Most smartwatches are an all-or-nothing proposition when it comes to tracking your progress toward reaching daily steps, calorie burn/movement, and standing goals. Apple Watch has a nice under-the-radar feature that lets you pause your ringtones to prevent you from breaking a streak or impacting your overall overall stats. You may want to do this while you are on vacation, on a work trip with no time to train, or perhaps because you have an injury or are sick. If you were to take a week off to workout while wearing another smartwatch, it could impact your overall stats. The watch doesn’t care if you broke your leg and were in a cast for six weeks, or if you were in bad weather for three days. He just thinks you’re falling behind. Apple Watch lets you pause and resume them whenever you want, so your overall numbers aren’t affected. You can also adjust your goals during this time, although such functionality is available with most smartwatches. But being able to pause everything is a feature I haven’t seen in any other smartwatch. Built-in noise monitor Christine Persaud/BGR Technically, you can use a smartwatch from other brands to monitor noise through a third-party noise measuring app. Some Samsung Galaxy Watches also have a noise monitoring feature, but Apple Watch has a built-in noise level feature that will alert you on-screen if you’re in an environment that’s too noisy. This is based on guidelines provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) which note that constant noise above 85 dB can damage your hearing if you are exposed to it for prolonged and repeated periods. You can also adjust the maximum level to your liking, perhaps reducing it if you have particularly sensitive hearing. Additionally, you can measure noise levels around you at any time by opening the Noise app directly from the watch, then holding it to capture the noise in your surroundings and see the decibel level in real time. This can be handy if you’re checking decibel levels for things like home theater speakers when setting up a new home audio system. You can also use it in a noisy restaurant to determine if you should put headphones on your little one to mask some of the noise and protect their little ears. Hypertension notifications Christine Persaud/BGR A new feature in Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 is high blood pressure notifications, which can detect and alert you to potential high blood pressure. The same optical heart sensor used to monitor your heart rate analyzes vascular patterns over a 30-day period. As it measures, it can detect changes in arterial stiffness and blood volume, which could be an indication of hypertension. This feature is only designed for people 22 and older who have not yet been diagnosed with hypertension. It is also not suitable for women who are pregnant or think they may be pregnant. It’s also not designed to be a medical tool but a home tracker similar to a home armband that could alert you to see a doctor or record data to present to a healthcare professional during your next visit. While some smartwatches can record blood pressure when used alongside calibration from an cuff, like some Samsung Galaxy Watch models, this screening tool works without it. Other third-party smartwatches offer something similar, but some don’t have FDA clearance, which Apple has for this feature on its watch. Integration with Beats headphones Pranav Kukreja/Shutterstock Apple owns the Beats brand, having acquired the company in 2014. With this, you can enjoy seamless integration between Beats headphones and earbuds and the Apple Watch, similar to the experience you get with Apple’s headphones and earbuds. As soon as they’re paired with your iPhone, they’ll also automatically pair with the watch, so you can use them seamlessly when listening to downloaded playlists or podcasts without your phone. If you have them set up with an Apple Watch that has cellular connectivity, the audio will stop to audibly dictate notifications from the phone. You can also use them to access Siri. Although Beats headphones can pair with any Bluetooth-enabled smartwatch, like any other Bluetooth headset or earphone, you will only receive sound notifications with an Apple Watch connected to a cell phone. This could be useful for runners who travel light and don’t want to have to raise their wrist to hear an incoming message, or even respond to it. Some of these five features are available in one variation or another on other smartwatches, but many are unique to Apple Watch in the way they are implemented, adding great value if you decide to go with the brand-specific wearable. Post navigation Are smart watches making the traditional watch obsolete?
Ringo Chiu/Shutterstock The Apple Watch is the perfect complement to an Apple iPhone and, in fact, it only works with Apple devices. While you can use other third-party smartwatches with an iPhone from brands like Garmin, Amazfit, Fitbit, Withings and others, there are some features exclusive to the Apple Watch that you might enjoy. Some are specific only to the newest models, but most are widely available on all the latest models, even going back several generations. It’s not just about seamless connectivity to iPhone, like syncing of available apps, Siri voice control integration, and compatibility with other Apple products, from iPads to Apple TV. There are other features exclusive to the Apple Watch that may be worth paying a little more for one. From access to specific apps to special health notifications with newer models and adjustable tracking based on your unique situation, these features, or at least a specific version of them in some cases, are only available for Apple Watch. Access to Apple applications Onfokus/Getty Images The most obvious feature is access to Apple apps, which you’ll only find natively on Apple Watch. This includes popular ones like Apple Fitness+, which, with a subscription, lets you track Apple Fitness workouts from the watch face, including advanced features like real-time heart rate and interval tracking. Other smartwatches also have their own add-on services or allow you to access third-party services (which you can also do with Apple Watch). But Fitness+ offers a seamless experience. Apple Music is another native app that you can only access from Apple Watch. With a subscription, you can control playback from the watch and download playlists directly to the watch’s internal memory, playing them without needing your phone nearby or even internet access. Of course, Apple Pay is another app exclusive to the Apple Watch, letting you use the same virtual cards you have loaded on your phone to tap and pay. It also works for instant payment for metro rides, without needing to open the app or double-click to confirm payment. And of course, there’s Apple Maps, another exclusive app for the Apple Watch, which can come in handy when you’re walking around town. Suspend logging if necessary Raditya/Getty Images Most smartwatches are an all-or-nothing proposition when it comes to tracking your progress toward reaching daily steps, calorie burn/movement, and standing goals. Apple Watch has a nice under-the-radar feature that lets you pause your ringtones to prevent you from breaking a streak or impacting your overall overall stats. You may want to do this while you are on vacation, on a work trip with no time to train, or perhaps because you have an injury or are sick. If you were to take a week off to workout while wearing another smartwatch, it could impact your overall stats. The watch doesn’t care if you broke your leg and were in a cast for six weeks, or if you were in bad weather for three days. He just thinks you’re falling behind. Apple Watch lets you pause and resume them whenever you want, so your overall numbers aren’t affected. You can also adjust your goals during this time, although such functionality is available with most smartwatches. But being able to pause everything is a feature I haven’t seen in any other smartwatch. Built-in noise monitor Christine Persaud/BGR Technically, you can use a smartwatch from other brands to monitor noise through a third-party noise measuring app. Some Samsung Galaxy Watches also have a noise monitoring feature, but Apple Watch has a built-in noise level feature that will alert you on-screen if you’re in an environment that’s too noisy. This is based on guidelines provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) which note that constant noise above 85 dB can damage your hearing if you are exposed to it for prolonged and repeated periods. You can also adjust the maximum level to your liking, perhaps reducing it if you have particularly sensitive hearing. Additionally, you can measure noise levels around you at any time by opening the Noise app directly from the watch, then holding it to capture the noise in your surroundings and see the decibel level in real time. This can be handy if you’re checking decibel levels for things like home theater speakers when setting up a new home audio system. You can also use it in a noisy restaurant to determine if you should put headphones on your little one to mask some of the noise and protect their little ears. Hypertension notifications Christine Persaud/BGR A new feature in Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 is high blood pressure notifications, which can detect and alert you to potential high blood pressure. The same optical heart sensor used to monitor your heart rate analyzes vascular patterns over a 30-day period. As it measures, it can detect changes in arterial stiffness and blood volume, which could be an indication of hypertension. This feature is only designed for people 22 and older who have not yet been diagnosed with hypertension. It is also not suitable for women who are pregnant or think they may be pregnant. It’s also not designed to be a medical tool but a home tracker similar to a home armband that could alert you to see a doctor or record data to present to a healthcare professional during your next visit. While some smartwatches can record blood pressure when used alongside calibration from an cuff, like some Samsung Galaxy Watch models, this screening tool works without it. Other third-party smartwatches offer something similar, but some don’t have FDA clearance, which Apple has for this feature on its watch. Integration with Beats headphones Pranav Kukreja/Shutterstock Apple owns the Beats brand, having acquired the company in 2014. With this, you can enjoy seamless integration between Beats headphones and earbuds and the Apple Watch, similar to the experience you get with Apple’s headphones and earbuds. As soon as they’re paired with your iPhone, they’ll also automatically pair with the watch, so you can use them seamlessly when listening to downloaded playlists or podcasts without your phone. If you have them set up with an Apple Watch that has cellular connectivity, the audio will stop to audibly dictate notifications from the phone. You can also use them to access Siri. Although Beats headphones can pair with any Bluetooth-enabled smartwatch, like any other Bluetooth headset or earphone, you will only receive sound notifications with an Apple Watch connected to a cell phone. This could be useful for runners who travel light and don’t want to have to raise their wrist to hear an incoming message, or even respond to it. Some of these five features are available in one variation or another on other smartwatches, but many are unique to Apple Watch in the way they are implemented, adding great value if you decide to go with the brand-specific wearable.
