Fitness Tracker

What is a Fitness Tracker?

Fitness tracker refers to a category of wearable devices and apps to monitor and track a person’s physical activity, workouts, and overall fitness goals. These electronic devices provide users with fitness metrics including steps and movement, heart rate, sleep patterns, distance, calories burned, and active time.

Often it is a small device, like a wristband, synced with a companion app and connected to a web-based platform. Once synced, the data is analyzed to provide a detailed history, progress reports, and recommendations to support the user’s fitness goals.

There are numerous fitness apps that utilize hardware and built-in sensors in a smartphone to provide physical activity tracking without needing to purchase a wearable device. However, standalone apps typically provide limited functionality, compared to wearable devices.

Fitness trackers encompass a wide range of devices, including smartwatches, smart clothes, and smart rings, to monitor physical activity. Some people use the term specifically to refer to basic wristband devices (also called fitness bands) that do not have a display screen, and lack the broader range of functions found in more expensive smartwatches. However, today, fitness trackers offer more features than they did a few years ago and usually have a display screen.

A fitness tracker is also known as an activity tracker.

Table of Contents Table of Contents

1. What is a Fitness Tracker?
2. Key Takeaways
3. How Fitness Tracker Works
4. Types of Fitness Trackers
5. Features of a Fitness Tracker
6. Fitness Tracker vs. Smartwatch
7. Fitness Tracker Apps
8. Fitness Tracker Examples by Market Share
9. Fitness Tracker Pros and Cons
10. The Bottom Line
11. FAQs
12. References

Show Full Guide

Table of Contents

1. What is a Fitness Tracker?
2. Key Takeaways
3. How Fitness Tracker Works
Show Full Guide
4. Types of Fitness Trackers
5. Features of a Fitness Tracker
6. Fitness Tracker vs. Smartwatch
7. Fitness Tracker Apps
8. Fitness Tracker Examples by Market Share
9. Fitness Tracker Pros and Cons
10. The Bottom Line
11. FAQs
12. References

How Fitness Tracker Works

A fitness tracker works using sensors to monitor activity and user input data, such as age, height, weight, and gender, to calculate metrics more accurately. For activity tracking, an accelerometer counts the number of steps taken and motion sensors detect physical activities. A heart rate monitor uses photoplethysmography (PPG), a light-based technology that illuminates capillaries under the skin to determine blood flow based on light reflection.

Higher-end fitness trackers offer features such as UV sensors to measure exposure to ultraviolet light and a GPS to track distance and location.

The fitness tracker connects to a smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth and syncs to the companion app for detailed analytics, including progress reports, fitness goals, and personalized exercises.

Types of Fitness Trackers

The most common way a fitness tracker is explained is by categorizing it by features.

Features of a Fitness Tracker

• Activity tracking
• Calories burned
• Distance tracking with GPS
• Elevation change monitoring
• Exercise modes for running, cycling, or swimming
• Heart rate monitoring
• Progress monitoring and reporting
• Sleep pattern tracking
• Step counter
• Syncs with companion apps

Fitness Tracker vs. Smartwatch

Fitness Tracker Apps

Fitness tracker apps sync with wearable devices to provide detailed fitness analytics, allowing users to track progress, gain sleep insights, monitor heart rate changes, set goals, and obtain personalized workout routines. Without an app, only limited information on steps, distance, sleep duration, and heart rate is available.

Most fitness trackers come with a dedicated app but can sync with some third-party apps, allowing users to consolidate health and fitness data in one place.

Not all apps require a wearable device. Some apps, like Google Fit, Apple Health, MyFitnessPal, and Samsung Health, use a smartphone’s built-in sensors (accelerometer, GPS, and gyroscope) to function as a fitness tracker.

Fitness Tracker Examples by Market Share

A fitness tracker watch or wristband is probably the most well-known example of these devices. Market.us provides a forecast of the global fitness tracker market, including the following categories:

The total fitness tracker market value in 2022 was $39.5 billion USD. However, the forecasted market size is expected to reach $187 billion USD by 2032.

Fitness Tracker Pros and Cons

The Bottom Line

The fitness tracker definition refers to wearable devices and apps that monitor and track physical activity and fitness goals. Basic models track steps, distance, and calories burned, while advanced devices add heart rate monitoring, sleep insights, UV sensors, and GPS. Companion apps enhance fitness trackers with detailed analytics, reports and personalized recommendations.

Fitness trackers motivate people to be more active but are not 100% accurate, often underestimating calories burned or steps. Major brands can be costly, and some require subscriptions for personalized features. Budget-conscious users can consider basic fitness trackers or apps using smartphone sensors.

FAQs