🔬 Health & Fitness Research
A review of 51 studies found bars were read faster in perception tests (318 ms with a 24% error rate, versus 397 ms and 26% for radial bars), yet Garmin, Apple and Samsung still default to rings, which the article ties to radial designs being rated more attractive. The practical finding for buyers is that several studies found negative feedback sometimes made people avoid checking their app, so judge a watch’s nudges as hard as its face.
Marty’s Take:
Rings win the showroom because they look good, not because they read well. That should change how you shop. Skip the face and stress-test the nudges: a watch that guilts you after a missed day can train you to stop opening the app. Judge the best fitness tracker by whether its feedback keeps you checking, starting with the Garmin Venu 4 and Apple Watch Series 11.
Shop mentioned gear: Samsung | Apple | Garmin
Source: The 5K Runner
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