What happened to Amazfit’s popular GTR smartwatches?

Amazfit is one of those underrated smartwatch brands that can compete with giants like Apple. Made by Chinese company Zepp Health (formerly Huami), the original Amazfit smartwatch was launched in 2016, followed by a range of other models before the company introduced its first GTR smartwatch in 2019. The new watch attracted attention for its premium design with solid features, as well as an impressive battery life of up to 24 days for the largest model. It also had an eye-catching starting price of just $149.99. Zepp Health released the GTR 2 in 2020, followed by the GTR 3 the following year. The Amazfit 4 was launched in 2022, but it turned out to be the last model to carry the GTR name. Zepp Health explained the situation a year later when it launched its first Amazfit Balance smartwatch, saying the new device was the successor to the brand’s Amazfit GTR family of smartwatches. The GTR influence is clearly visible in the Libra’s design, with its circular dial, thin bezel, two-button layout and traditional watch appearance.

The Amazfit GTR series has become one of Zepp Health’s defining smartwatch families, especially for buyers looking for a traditional watch design that also features fitness and health tracking. Over four generations of the GTR, the company has gradually improved the device with refined AMOLED displays and increasingly sophisticated health and sports features. However, by the time the GTR 4 arrived, the smartwatch market had changed significantly, with competitors adding more and more fitness, health, and smart features to flagship devices. The Balance represented Zepp Health’s response to this change, as it sought to take on its competitors in what has become a very competitive market.

Zepp Health followed the Amazfit Balance with the Balance 2 in 2025. The Balance 3 landed in 2026, alongside the Balance Ultra, a flagship watch that gave the clearest indication yet of Zepp Health’s ambition to compete with giants like Apple in the smartwatch space. Apple revealed the Ultra 4 in September 2026, so let’s take a look at how the two Ultra devices compare. With their rugged design, both watches target people who want a more durable device for outdoor and fitness activities, as well as those who spend time in extreme environments. But the two models take very different forms, with the Balance Ultra adopting a traditional circular style and Apple Watch retaining its distinctive square screen.

Looking at the specs, the Balance Ultra’s battery life stands out, claiming up to 30 days (720 hours) with typical use, compared to 50 hours for the Apple Watch Ultra 4. In terms of size, the Balance Ultra has the larger case, measuring 51.8 millimeters in diameter compared to 49 millimeters for the Apple Watch Ultra, but Apple’s device actually has a slightly larger screen. The Balance also stands out for its focus on fitness and endurance, with more than 180 training modes, dual-band GPS and a range of training tools. Apple’s Ultra 4, meanwhile, includes more in-depth health features like ECG and sleep apnea notifications. And unlike the Balance Ultra, Apple’s device has cellular and satellite connectivity. As for the price, Zepp Health’s device costs $599.99, while Apple’s costs $799.

The GTR range may no longer exist, but elements of it clearly live on in the Balance range that replaced it. The Ultra, for example, retains the traditional GTR watch design and long battery life while adding more sophisticated smart features to the mix.