Editorial and Reviews Promise

Wearable technology has come a long way since Wareable was founded in 2014.

When we started Wareable the Apple Watch was just a rumor, and the landscape was dominated by Fitbit, Jawbone, and even Google Glass. Fast forward and everything has changed in the wearable industry, but for Wareable everything is still the same.

In 2014 we created a set of promises for our readers – and they still apply now. They are:

• Wearables as the future of technology
• Stylish devices that people want to wear
• We believe in technology that enhances the activities you love
• Reviews you can trust
• Expert opinions
• Quality editorial
• Context
• Getting more from your wearables

What we do

When we test wearable devices, we aim to rigorously assess them for accuracy, usability, and wearability. That means living with them, just like any normal user. These are the key areas of our reviews and how we review them.

Battery life (general and during exercise)

Where possible we use the device for several battery cycles to assess how it drains and how long you can expect to use it. If a device has insanely long battery life – such as the Garmin Enduro – we will still use it for a few weeks.

We will also stress test features with prolonged workouts and exercise sessions, and we even have an ultra-marathon runner on hand for sessions up to 40 miles.

Heart rate

Heart rate is extremely difficult to test outside of a lab, so we aim to compare performance to an EKG chest strap, which is the gold standard generally available to consumers. It's the experience that wrist wearables aim to replicate

We test heart rate at rest, during steady exercise (usually an hour run), and finally during a HIIT session comprising of quick peaks and falls.

We aim to validate the accuracy of the heart rate sensor so that readers can have confidence in the huge array of data that are drawn from your bpm. These can include calorie estimates, sleep data, stress scores, workout zones, intensity minutes, and more.

We know that optical sensors aren’t as accurate as chest straps – but they can still produce useful data, especially for beginners.

GPS accuracy

We will run multiple times with a device to ascertain that the GPS is accurate and up to standard. This will be benchmarked against a Garmin GPS sports watch and using known, measured routes.

Sleep tracking

Sleep tracking is one of the most difficult elements to test outside a sleep lab, so we validate new devices against other top-performing sleep trackers. These include the Fitbit Sense (which has been trained by large-scale, peer-reviewed trials) and the Withings Sleep Analyzer smart mat.

The aim is to check that duration, sleep stages, and resting heart rate data correlate across the night. Once that checks out, we assess the actionability of the data and how useful it is to the user.

Step counting and accuracy

We always check step data against other devices (usually Garmin and Fitbit) as well as the iPhone’s built-in motion co-processor to look for any large anomalies.

Design, usability, and wearability

Wearables have got to be wearable. It sounds silly, but that's not always the case. We wear devices 24/7 for weeks during our test process to make sure they're comfortable, look good and perform well. We've tested thousands of devices, so we have a good eye for materials and build quality. What's more, we test the user experience, the touchscreen, and control methods, so you know what a device is like to live with.

Photos

We take our candid shots so we can show you what devices look like in the flesh. We aim to take high-quality, original images to help you choose whether a wearable is right for your taste and style. You won't find press images in our reviews.

Commercial promise

To keep the whole thing going, Wareable runs display advertising on the site. We also use affiliate links to online retailers (where we may earn commission on click-throughs) but every single recommendation comes from our editorial teams in London and San Francisco and remains completely separate from commercial decisions. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

We write deals stories from offers that have been hand-picked by our team because they represent good value for our readers. We may receive a commission if you click a link to a retailer and make a purchase. These affiliate partnerships help to support the work we do and do not influence the products we cover or how we cover them

We have also started to run a small number of sponsored features. These will publish quality information provided by wearable tech brands, written in the Wareable style and marked with the tag 'Sponsored' and the brand logo. And we won't run an advertorial on a product or company unless we think it will interest our readers.

We never take payments, or offers, for product reviews, buyers' guides, or coverage.

Verification and fact-checking

Wareable Media Group is committed to publishing honest, accurate information. We welcome feedback from our readers, via comments or email and we agree and aim to closely follow the Editors' Code of Practice.