Selection Criteria for an iPhone Connected Watch
iOS Compatibility and Integration
Compatibility with iOS goes way beyond just Bluetooth. Here is an integration scale to consider:
Level 1 (Basic): Notifications and basic activity tracking. This is what most third-party brands like Amazfit or Xiaomi offer.
Level 2 (Intermediate): Limited interaction with some iPhone apps, predefined responses to messages, basic music control. Found at recent Garmin, Fitbit and Samsung.
Level 3 (Advanced): Complete integration with the Apple ecosystem, personalized responses, home automation control, Apple Pay payment. Exclusive to Apple Watch.
Ask yourself: how much daily interaction do you want with your watch? For some, notifications and fitness tracking are more than enough. For others, responding from the wrist has become essential.
Health and Sports Monitoring
Don’t be blinded by the number of sensors. I’ve seen $100 watches boasting 15 different sensors, but with unusable data. Quality takes precedence over quantity.
For serious sport, three brands stand out precisely with iPhone:
- Garmin for running, cycling and endurance sports
- Apple Watch for mixed workouts and general fitness
- Polar for precise analysis of recovery and sleep
For daily health, the Apple Watch offers the best compromise, while Withings offers the most serious medical certifications for heart monitoring.
Battery life and charging
Autonomy remains the Achilles heel of the Apple Watch, despite progress. Here is a real comparison based on my tests:
Apple Watch Series 9: 18-24 hours of normal use, 10 hours of continuous GPS tracking
Garmin Fenix 7: 14 days in normal use, 40 hours in continuous GPS
Amazfit GTR 4: 10-12 days in normal use, 25 hours in GPS
Withings ScanWatch: 30 days in normal use, no continuous GPS
The key question: are you willing to charge daily for more features, or do you prefer battery life at the cost of some compromises?
Conclusion
After testing more than 20 different models with iPhone, here are my final recommendations according to profiles:
For the user integrated into the Apple ecosystem: The Apple Watch Series 9 remains unbeatable for its perfect integration. The SE for tight budgets.
For the serious athlete: The Garmin Fenix 7 or Forerunner 955 offer unrivaled autonomy and precision.
For the classic style lover: The Withings ScanWatch combines traditional elegance and discreet technology.
For small budgets: The Amazfit GTR 4 offers 80% of the premium features at 40% of the price.
The iPhone smartwatch market continues to evolve rapidly. The trend is moving towards more autonomy and more precise health sensors – a good time to invest in this technological companion which, beyond the gadget, has become for many an essential daily tool.
Whatever you decide, remember that the best smartwatch is the one that fits your lifestyle, not the other way around.
