The Apple Watch Nike+ fitness watch will face its biggest rival yet with the New Balance's high-end wearable technology RunIQ. The wearable device is an Android version of Apple's popular fitness smartwatch.
New Balance, a company based in Boston unveiled the RunIQ during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The $300 smartwatch has a similar shape to a runner's GPS watch and it will start shipping by Feb. 1.
RunIQ Features
RunIQ's hardware components are from Intel. The OS is based on Google's Android Wear while the Strava powers the run tracking and the linked social features.
Priced competitively, the RunIQ is a cheaper smartwatch with features that active individuals would want to see in their wearable device. The watch is a GPS tracker and a heart-rate monitor rolled in one. The watch is waterproof up to 50 meters of five atmospheres. The watch can last for five hours when GPS and HR are running but with typical use, it can last for up to 24 hours.
As expected from an Android smartwatch, RunIQ can be paired with any Android device. Designed for functionality, RunIQ comes in dark colors.
Apple Watch Nike+ Similarities
After making its announcement about the latest technology from New Balance, the RunIQ smartwatch was immediately compared to Apple Watch Nike+ Series 2. Drawing similarities between the Apple Watch Nike+ and RunIQ does not come as a shock. The two high-end smartwatch technologies are direct competitors as they target the same market and the key features have some similarities.
Social sharing is common in both devices although RunIQ has more participants compared to the Nike+. Both RunIQ and Nike+ support runners and they have the necessary features needed for active individuals. However, Apple Watch is the only one with a feature to remind and motivate users. Compared to Apple watch Nike+, New Balance's RunIQ has greater compatibility and a lower price -two features which make Android devices appealing to consumers.
