Firmware Beats Hardware!
In a Nutshell
Firmware updates and software algorithms now outperform hardware changes in smartwatch and wearable performance, especially for health metrics like sleep stages, where Oura Ring's algorithm upgrades halved day-to-day variability and Whoop's software boosted accuracy far more than sensor swaps. Heart rate accuracy varies hugely by brand—Apple and Pixel Watches lead due to superior AI processing of noisy data—while first-order metrics (e.g., HR) rely on direct sensor translation, second-order (e.g., sleep stages) add complexity, and emerging third-order metrics (e.g., disease prediction via foundation models like Sleep FM) will dominate future differentiation. Prioritize firmware updates over new hardware purchases, as brands like Garmin may lag in advanced AI-driven health insights.
These notes were generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies.
Smartwatch companies like Garmin, Apple, or Amazfit have released multiple devices per year. Over the last few years in most smartwatch companies, not much has changed in terms of hardware. Major changes are now in the software, not the hardware. This is where brands are setting themselves apart the most, especially for health and sport metrics. There are three levels of data: level one is direct measurements like heart rate and GPS; level two is derived metrics like sleep stages and sleep apnea detection. Level three is becoming more important and could have the biggest influence on people's lives.
Firmware and software have become more important than ever for sports and health tracking and will set apart brand performance in the next few years. Software improvements have mostly happened in first- and second-order health metrics so far, but in a few years, third-order health derived metrics will set brands apart even more. Firmware updates are now as important as hardware for improving smartwatch or health tracker performance, and this importance will likely increase.
Rob is a post-doctoral scientist specializing in biological data analysis. Looking at sleep stages tracked by the Oura Ring and Whoop strap, firmware improvements have made huge changes. Oura Ring and Whoop strap are popular health trackers; he's used both daily for several years. Data shows percentage of deep sleep over time, smoothed, with hardware changes in orange and firmware changes in blue.
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