Huawei is putting other lightweight wearables, like the Fitbit Inspire 3 and Amazfit Band 7, on notice with the launch of the Huawei Band 9, an ultra-thin fitness-focused smartwatch with a 1.47-inch AMOLED screen and roughly two weeks of battery life.
Rich in wellness tech and compatible with both Apple and Android devices, it could be a contender for the best lightweight wearable title. Here's everything you need to know about the new Huawei Band 9.
Huawei Band 9 – design and battery life
The Huawei Band 9 has a rectangular case the exact same weight, 0.5 ounces, and thickness, 9mm, as its predecessor with the same bright, 1.47-inch AMOLED touch display. There's one physical button on the side of the watch.
Water resistance is still 50 meters, which is good enough for a quick dip but not extended periods of swimming. Battery life remains the same: up to 14 days under the best circumstances and nine days with normal use, which is respectable.
The new device will come in five colors including white, black, pink, yellow and blue. The rubber straps have notably received an overhaul and should now be softer on the skin and more durable than previous iterations.
There's also an updated woven antibacterial yarn strap that looks pretty stylish. However, it appears to be available only on the blue model.
Huawei Band 9 – health and fitness features
While physical improvements to the Band 9 are fairly minimal, it does feature some upgraded health monitoring tech and updated processing algorithms.
A new nine-axis motion sensor replaces the six-axis sensor found in the Band 8. Huawei says that for swimmers in particular, this should result in better swim stroke detection and overall workout tracking precision.
The Band 9 also gains an ambient light sensor which automatically dims the screen, depending on how bright the surroundings are, to save battery life.
On the software side, the device's vital signs monitoring algorithms received an update which Huawei says should improve heart rate tracking accuracy and speed up the time it takes to perform a SpO2 reading.
Like its predecessor, the Band 9 also keeps tabs on your pulse to monitor for signs of atrial fibrillation (AFib). You also get some built-in stress management tools, along with menstrual health tracking.
The sleep-tracking software is also refreshed. It now monitors for abnormal breathing patterns in addition to watching blood oxygen levels and heart rate. In the AM, the Band 9 can be set up to provide insights into your night's rest and workout recommendations for the day.
Huawei Band 9 – smartwatch features
Smart features are limited on the Huawei Band 9. Niceties like support for mobile payments, Maps and storage for offline music are absent. In fact, aside from Bluetooth notifications and remote music control, there aren't any to report.
Huawei Band 9 – outlook
The Huawei Band 9 is a relatively minor update over the Huawei Band 8. If you have the former, there's little reason to upgrade.
Huawei has yet to announce pricing, but we'd expect the tracker to land somewhere around $60, similar to its predecessor. Global availability and timelines for delivery have yet to be divulged — no word yet if it will make its way to the U.S.
$60 would put this GPS-less tracker at about a third of the price of the Fitbit Inspire 3, the best value fitness tracker in 2024. And while the Band 9 sports a larger screen, the Inspire 3 remains the affordable wearable to beat for fitness tracking accuracy and reliable health monitoring.
The Amazfit Band 7 ($49) and Xiaomi Smart Band 8 series (~$50) will also likely prove stiff competition for the new Huawei device in terms of price and styling.
Ultimately, time will tell if the upgrades made to the Band 9 — especially those related to wellness and tracking accuracy — are enough for Huawei to claim the lightweight smartwatch title. We'll update you once we get one in for testing.
