Apple Watch Vs WHOOP: Needless Comparison?

Apple Watches: Jack of All Trade?

Released in 2015 Apple Watches were an instant hit. Which was also helped by the fact that Fitbit fell hard and fast. Manufactured to provide streamlined experience with the aid of the iPhone Apple made sure to have everything under the umbrella. So you could call, text, play music, do a workout, track vital metrics, and just have a cool-looking watch on your arm.

There is a general conception that Apple Watches perhaps are not exactly worth what they cost, and we don’t necessarily disagree with public opinion. For now, it is better to focus on how it fares against a competitor that specializes in having a specialty.

WHOOP: Dedicated & Reliable!

Unlike the Apple Watches which had the backing of probably the most influential tech company of the 21st century WHOOP was a college dream of certain Mr. Will Ahmed. Made to be a niche product for a niche audience WHOOP surfaced in the public eye at the same time as Apple Watches. However, given its business model, it didn’t skyrocket to the top of the charts, and it still hasn’t. Yet thanks to its huge popularity among athletes WHOOP made its name.

By now the company has released four WHOOP models, each being a better version of the other. The most interesting thing about the WHOOP is there are not smartwatches or even watches. In the purest form, WHOOP work can be said to be a tracker, but nothing more than it, and it has earned that right. Or lost it, depending on how you choose to see it.

WHOOP Is All About Substance Over Style!

Let’s start with WHOOP, they don’t have a touch screen. Or screen to show you the results. You just have a metal band with 4 colors and a hoard of sensors strapped to your arm. In essence, it is pretty bleak, for many I don’t think the style of it would make a strong case to go for it. But that’s just how it is.

No Screen. No Action. Just Sensors.

On the other hand, Apple Watches are blessed with a vivid AMOLED display screen that can light up even the darkest room. You have a 1.58-inch screen in the latest Series 8. With 1000+ options to customize the band and watch faces, Apple Watch provides a much more user-friendly show of data. I won’t lie even though I do prefer to see how and what I am doing, the way WHOOP has arranged it is not my cup of tea.

WHOOP’s One Time Thing Cost Too Much?

WHOOP works on a model that is quite alienating in the industry. Instead of buying the tracker for a certain fee, you would have to buy the subscription to get it – the tracker is free. Usually, it starts from $30/month and you’d have to pay for the first 12 months. So you could say that it costs 360 dollars, but that is not how it is (more about it later).

Apple Watches being watches doesn’t have strings attached like that, you just have to pay once and it is yours. For sure, there is a Fitness Premium subscription which can cost you anywhere from $10-20 per month, it is not a necessity. Not unlike the WHOOP which is useless without having an active subscription. Or mobile phone given its non-existent screen and 100% reliance on a mobile applications to do what it does.

The Way Of Fitness Tracking

Since WHOOP is a dedicated tracker made just for keeping note of body vitals, we feel it is futile to bring in other vanity features in contention (calling, texting, or music playback). Everyone knows Apple Watches would win there. However, given WHOOP and Apple’s continued efforts to take health tracking to the next level let’s begin by comparing the two in the context of fitness tracking.

As shown by the data Apple Watches doesn’t have the same capacity to compete with WHOOP trackers in regards to tracking, and it makes perfect sense. WHOOP is meant to be just trackers to do tracking whereas Apple Watches are multi-purpose devices with expanded use cases.

About Apple Watches

Although Apple has armed its smartwatches with enough manpower that it can monitor basic needs like Heart Rate, the oxygen level in the blood, VO2, distance, pace, steps climbed, calories burned (not accurate), and hours slept last night. There is still a long way to go for them to actually mark their name. More so since WHOOP excels in workout mode too. It gives you 87 options (compared to 16 available in an Apple Watch) to choose from and if you are doing something that isn’t in the database you can let the tracker know of it and it’d remember it for the next time.

About WHOOP

WHOOP has a strong sense of accuracy, while inactive your WHOOP trackers measure your heart rate 52 times in a second as compared to Apple Watch 5-minute check. It also provides better sleep stats and can actually give valuable insights like when you should go to bed or how much you should sleep to recover. While painting the stage-wise picture of each sleeping cycle tracker noticed what you going through in a night.

As mentioned earlier WHOOP’s main specialty is in recovery metrics. It takes multiple datasets (heart rate variability, resting heart rate, respiratory rate, and amount of sleep) to calculate the ideal score and then plan the perfect strategy according to it.

Target Audience: Apple Triumphs Majority! 

As noted above WHOOP is made for a certain purpose and that is to aid in recovery. So while you and I might not have much of a use for it. For athletes who have to train under immense pressure or who seek to challenge the boundaries set by their coaches or doctors, WHOOP trackers make an excellent tool to track, analyze, and aid in making big strides. No wonder a huge reason for their popularity are the sports influencers and star football players.

For Apple Watches the story is a bit different, however, rated PG-13 so it is for everyone to enjoy and hear (or in this case wear). Apple has maintained its strict policy to remain as commercialized as possible. So you could gift it to your nanny, nana, father, friend, acquaintance, or enemy, it doesn’t matter, Apple Watches are for everyone.

Customer Support: Best Of Both!

In my honest opinion, I have had no problem with either of them. Although I haven’t contacted Apple Support exactly for the smartwatch, even when my iPhone was malfunctioning their guided help and the money that I had paid for Apple Care was enough to revive it for good. As for WHOOP, you might find it unreachable at times, but when you’d get in contact with a representative, they’d help and they know their stuff.

Nothing Beats WHOOP At It…

Your WHOOP tracker can last for 4-5 days on one charge, and if you feel like you don’t want the tracker to stop tracking, WHOOP gives a portable charger that you can attach to your tracker and have it charged simultaneously. No need to ever take it off.

Apple Watches, on the other hand, doesn’t provide similar liberty. Given their high-processing power and vivid display you would be forced to take it out of the mix and put it up for a charge. Yes, the fast charging allows for quick results and you’d be good to go in an hour or two, the battery life of an Apple Watch is not at the same level as that of WHOOP, and it makes sense why.

Apple Cost Too Much? Or Is That WHOOP

Apple Watches are fairly priced by Apple Standards, and Apple standards say they should start from $399 at least. However, if you feel that’s too much, in recent years Apple has released a much cheaper option in Apple Watch SE ($279) and it has all the brightest features of its Series counterpart.

As for WHOOP trackers you don’t actually pay for the tracker, it is free, but you’d have to pay a monthly fee to keep your subscription alive. If you’d sign an annual contract and pay up front you’d have to pay $25/month. If you’d go for two years contract at the time, then it’d cost you $20/month, and if you’d just go and have it on monthly basis then it will begin with $30/month charge. Although, keep in mind that it is required by the WHOOP to have at least 12 month’s plan to begin the onboarding. What matters is how you choose to pay for it, at once ($25) or monthly ($30).

Verdict Time: Apple Watches Vs WHOOP

Much like how Fitbit contested against the WHOOP Apple Watches aren’t far off from that point either. While WHOOP remains dedicated to its niche Apple continues to expand its horizon and develop itself into a people’s product. Personally, I feel this whole comparison is futile WHOOP should be paired with likes of Bellabeat, not the Apple.

Either way what remains to be seen now is how either of them would take the next big step! Will WHOOP change its way and become like the others? Or would Apple finally shift the health tracking in smartwatches to another gear? For now, its tale of time and time will tell it in a better way.