The AI toggle comes with a heavy warning

As first reported by How-To-Geek, the setting appears inside Samsung Health’s privacy controls under the label “Consent to the use of health data for AI training and modeling.” It sits alongside separate permissions covering other data. Some Samsung Health users are finding the AI training consent switched on after accepting the app’s latest privacy notice.

On the surface, this looks like a normal opt-in control. Users can move the switch off when they do not want their health information used to develop Samsung’s AI systems.

The next screen changes the picture. After the consent is withdrawn, Samsung Health displays a warning saying the user will no longer be able to sync health data with their Samsung account!

It also states that health data will be deleted unless Samsung must retain it under applicable law. Any legally retained information will then be erased when the required retention period ends.

So this is not really just a simple AI toggle. You can say no to Samsung using your data for AI training, but you may also lose cloud syncing and some of your stored health history. Not good.

The exact process may depend on where you live and which privacy rules apply. Users in other regions may see different wording, a separate consent process or no AI training switch at all. Samsung does not make those regional differences particularly clear inside the app.

Some important details remain unclear

The warning is still pretty vague. It does not say whether only data stored on Samsung’s servers will be deleted or whether anything saved locally in Samsung Health could disappear too. It also leaves open the question of which tracking features still work without account sync.

That is not a small detail for long-time Galaxy Watch users. Samsung Health can hold years of activity, sleep, heart rate and body composition data, along with medication details, health records and cycle tracking information.

Samsung’s US consumer health privacy statement says users can withdraw consent where the law allows it. Once they do, Samsung should stop the related collection, use and sharing of their health data. The app also includes options to download or erase personal information.

Downloading data first looks sensible

Anyone planning to withdraw consent should download a copy of their Samsung Health information before confirming the change. The option appears in Samsung Health under Settings, followed by Download personal data.

The downloaded archive gives users some protection if the withdrawal process removes their synced history. It also provides a clearer picture of what Samsung Health has stored before the account connection changes.

The larger problem is not that Samsung asks for permission to train AI. A separate toggle is better than hiding that use inside a general privacy policy.

The problem is the apparent connection between declining AI training and losing cloud syncing or stored data. Consent can technically remain optional while still becoming difficult to refuse in practice.

The timing is handy, with Galaxy Unpacked set for July 22. Samsung is expected to show off new Galaxy Watches and more health AI, so this privacy question may soon get even bigger.

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Battery complaints have been around for weeks

The battery issue is the more notable of the two. Complaints first appeared while owners were running version 22.35, with some reporting that the problem continued after they moved to 22.38.

That update arrived in late June with fixes for crashes during golf activities, incorrect dive-depth behaviour and an LTE LiveTrack problem. It did not include anything related to power consumption.

Reports on Garmin’s forums described watches running down considerably faster than expected. Some owners found themselves charging every day or even more frequently, while Garmin support staff contacted affected users to gather information.

Version 22.39 is the first stable release to name a fix for the problem. Garmin describes it as a fix for “possible battery drain”, although it has not explained what was causing the watches to lose power so quickly.

The second change addresses possible problems during voice calls. Garmin has not provided any further detail, so it is unclear whether this relates to failed calls, dropped connections or another part of the calling experience.

Garmin says the staged rollout has reached 20% and will increase as it progresses. Owners who do not see version 22.39 immediately may therefore need to wait for it to reach their watch.

Only the Pro models are named

The announcement covers the Fenix 8 Pro and Fenix 8 Pro MicroLED. Garmin has not included the standard Fenix 8, Fenix E, Enduro 3, Tactix 8 or Quatix 8 in this particular rollout notice.

That is worth noting because some standard Fenix 8 owners have reported similar battery behaviour. It does not necessarily mean the watches share the same fault, but Garmin has yet to announce a corresponding fix for them.

Separate rollout notices are common across Garmin’s closely related watch families. Another release may follow, although there is currently nothing official to confirm that.

This is not a feature update, but it may prove more valuable than one for affected owners. A Fenix watch that suddenly needs daily charging loses one of its main advantages, so the early response to version 22.39 should quickly show whether Garmin has dealt with the problem.

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VO2 max gets a recalibration pass

The most interesting item is the VO2 max algorithm change. Zepp Health says the update improves VO2 max accuracy, but also adds that results will be gradually calibrated based on new workout data after installation.

Which means owners should not expect the watch to instantly rewrite their fitness profile the moment the update finishes. The Balance 2 will need fresh sessions before the updated algorithm has enough recent data to settle. This, most would agree, is a sensible approach.

The altitude fix is also worth watching in real use. Zepp Health says the new firmware improves altitude data stability during outdoor workouts and reduces abnormal fluctuations in accumulated ascent and descent. In fact, we have noticed some issue with altitude tracking in device we have been testing in recent months. Hopefully, this will help to resolve the discrepancies.

Zepp Flow gets more useful on the wrist

Zepp Flow also gets a broader set of changes. The update adds more flexible volume control, quicker voice feedback and improvements around notification reminders and related settings.

The change-log also mentions expanded voice interaction. Balance 2 owners can now ask for HybridCharge-related information and use voice commands to reach more workout modes, system apps and frequently used features.

Map navigation gets a smaller tweak, but one that could matter mid-session. After opening the map track menu during a workout, users can access the feature through a newly added navigation entry.

Golf also gets attention, but this is more niche. The firmware changes the completion reminder wording for golf course data downloads and terrain map downloads. It also adjusts hole-switching logic to improve behaviour on the course.

A small update

There is no sign here of Zepp OS 6 or Strava Live Segments, if that is what you were waiting for. But for current Balance 2 owners, the practical takeaway is simple. Install it before your next run, hike or round of golf, then give the VO2 max and altitude changes a few workouts before judging them.

The late June firmware brought bigger owner-facing additions, including HybridCharge, Next Hard Session, HYROX tools, Helio Core Motion accessory support and several workout-related improvements. This new update looks more like a clean-up pass after that larger feature drop.

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Maps are the main update

The Q1 2026 update made some improvements around maps and navigation. The Q2 update continues in the same fashion. The release notes highlight track back navigation, richer offline maps, improved climb guidance, smart turn-by-turn zooming, off-route guidance and improved off-route detection.

The richer maps add contour lines with elevation labels, place names and special location icons. That should make the watches more useful when navigating without a phone, especially on trails or in unfamiliar places.

Off-route guidance is also more useful. Instead of simply telling you that you have left the route, the watch can show distance and direction back to it. That is the kind of change that helps when a path splits badly or a trail becomes unclear.

Climb guidance has also been refined. Distance and climb-based zooming should make the map easier to read during hillier sessions, where the next climb often matters more than the next kilometre.

Suunto is also highlighting additional map improvements, including street names, river names and lake names. There is a trade-off, of course. More labels can make a small display busier. Suunto’s answer is map layer control, so users can choose what type of information appears on the watch map.

The Suunto app is also getting attention. The company is highlighting improved 3D elevation views and a city map type with 3D buildings, which should help with route planning and orientation when travelling.

Routes and ascent targets fit Suunto’s audience

Suunto says it is increasing route storage on the watch from 15 routes to 200. That is a practical change for users who travel, race, hike or keep several routes ready.

The old limit always felt tight for a navigation-first watch. More storage means less route housekeeping before a trip and fewer last-minute sync decisions in the app.

Ascent targets are another addition. Users can set a vertical gain target for a running session, such as 800 metres or 1,000 metres, then follow progress during the workout.

Ocean gets the clearest dive update

Suunto Ocean has the most clearly defined device-specific changes. Its Q2 update adds a tide widget, dive view customisation, a dynamic depth graph, stopwatch support in dive views and the option to link two tank pods to the same gas.

The tank pod change is useful for sidemount diving, where a diver may want to monitor two tank pressures during the same dive. Suunto has also added a pressure difference alarm and a water type setting for scuba diving.

SuuntoPlus also gets a brief mention, with Suunto saying around 30 sport-specific add-ons have been added over the past three months. Useful, but the bigger story here is still maps, routes and Ocean dive tools.

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Google says version 5.03 is rolling out now on Android and iOS. Availability will happen in phases over the next week, depending on device and carrier. Android users who are impatient can always head over to a site such as APKMirror and download the new version immediately.

We covered Google Health 5.02 in June, which brought back a few Fitbit-style controls and cleaned up some missing pieces. Version 5.03 continues the same pattern. Google is not rebuilding old Fitbit in one step, but it is slowly putting key features back into reach.

The Today tab gets more useful

The main change is simple. More metrics can now be added to the Today tab.

That includes heart rate variability, breathing rate, SpO2, resting heart rate, skin temperature variation, glucose, resilience, mindfulness, macros and the friend leaderboard.

These were already available in the Health tab, but they can now sit on the main dashboard. This is aimed to give users more options to build a more useful front page without digging around every morning.

Naps now count toward total sleep

Sleep tracking gets an overdue change. Naps longer than 20 minutes now count toward total sleep duration across a 24-hour period. For those that like an occasional afternoon app, this will be important.

Of course, there is still a risk of false nap detection. In fact, there are some comments on social media that suggest Google Health can mistake long periods of sitting still for sleep. So this feature will only be as good as the detection behind it.

Users can also view trends for main sleep and total sleep inside the Sleep tab. The Today tab will still show main sleep only, which is probably the cleaner choice.

Google is still not finished

Google has also fixed an issue with incorrect swimming distances and units. And there is a fix for large elevation discrepancies between Google Health, Strava and TCX files. That one is worth watching if you compare runs, hikes or rides across platforms.

Elevation gain will never match perfectly everywhere, because apps and services process data differently. But large gaps damage trust. Once users start questioning one metric, they start questioning the rest.

The 5.03 update also brings several 5.02 Android features to iOS.

iPhone users can now reorder Key Metrics charts in the Health tab with drag and drop. Food search results now show serving units and calories. Nap views are also easier to find inside the Sleep Score section.

User reaction

The early reaction is mixed. Some users are happy to see regular updates. Others still want Apple Health export, custom food logging, better calorie tools, old Fitbit badges, step aggregation from multiple sources and a cleaner app without so much coaching layered on top.

That is the real story here. Google Health is improving, but many Fitbit users still feel like they lost a simple app and are now being asked to wait while Google adds pieces back.

Version 5.03 moves things in the right direction. The Today tab is more flexible, sleep tracking handles naps better and a few data bugs have been cleaned up.

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The smaller model takes a price hit

According to DealLabs, US pricing will start at $399 for the 41mm Bluetooth/Wi-Fi model. The LTE version is expected at $499. That would make both smaller models $50 more expensive than their Pixel Watch 4 equivalents at launch.

The 45mm model also appears to be going up, but by less. The Bluetooth/Wi-Fi version is tipped at $429, while the LTE version may land at $529. That would be a $30 increase on both larger versions. Which makes the 45mm model look like the better value on paper.

UK and European pricing follows the same shape. The 41mm model is tipped at £369 or €419 for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and £469 or €519 for LTE. The 45mm model comes in at £399 or €449 for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and £499 or €549 for LTE.

Same design again

As far as design, don’t expect any big changes. Pixel Watch 5 is expected to stick with the same basic format as Pixel Watch 4. That means two case sizes, 41mm and 45mm. So the structure of the range does not look very different.

That is not a bad thing. Google only added the larger 45mm size with Pixel Watch 4, and that finally made the watch a more realistic option for people who wanted more screen and more battery.

FCC filings have already surfaced for four Google wearable models. Which fits the expected two-size, two-connectivity lineup. So we have the leaks plus the regulatory info which makes this info quite credible.

Colours and features

Google Pixel Watch 5 is expected to land in several case colours. Natural Silver and Dark Anthracite are expected across both sizes. Warm Gold may stay limited to the 41mm model, while a new Pyrite finish could appear on both sizes.

There has also been an odd prototype leak, which we wrote about earlier. A device was reportedly found underwater near St. Martin with Pixel Watch 5 branding on the back! The markings shown in the images included heart rate, SpO2, EDA, skin temperature, UWB and IP68 water resistance.

If that is accurate, it looks more like Google is keeping the core sensor set familiar. Which means battery life, performance and software will probably decide whether Pixel Watch 5 feels like a proper step forward.

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Two Galaxy Watches look likely

The regular Galaxy Watch 9 should be the main model for most buyers. Leaked renders suggest Samsung is sticking with the rounded display inside the cushion-style case introduced with the current generation, rather than returning to a cleaner circular body.

That will split opinion. Some users still prefer the older Galaxy Watch look, but Samsung seems to be treating the newer shape as the base design for the range now. Expect the usual smaller and larger case sizes, along with Bluetooth and LTE versions.

Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 looks like the more visible hardware update. Leaks point to a slightly boxier case, slimmer bezels and a cleaner side button, with the orange accent reduced to an outline rather than covering the full button.

The Ultra 2 is still expected to keep the round screen inside a squircle-style case. Rear markings shown in leaked images point to GPS, LTE, Sapphire Crystal, a 47mm case and 10ATM water resistance, so Samsung is clearly keeping it in the rugged smartwatch lane.

One detail stands out. Current leaks do not show a Galaxy Watch 9 Classic. This is despite earlier talk that Samsung might bring back another rotating bezel model this year.

Health features may carry the launch

Beyond hardware, we are expecting some software upgrades. Samsung has already previewed several next-generation Galaxy Watch features, including Vitals, Heart Health Score, Daily Cardio Load and Fitness Index.

Vitals is Samsung’s take on the overnight readiness-style summaries now common across wearables. It looks at signals such as heart rate, heart rate variability, respiratory rate, skin temperature and blood oxygen, then flags changes from the user’s normal baseline.

Daily Cardio Load is the more fitness-focused addition. It measures accumulated cardiovascular strain and recommends training targets and rest periods, which should make Galaxy Watch more useful for people who actually train rather than simply count steps.

Fitness Index could also help if Samsung keeps it clear and actionable. The feature uses workout data, heart rate, VO2 max and daily steps to show where fitness is improving or slipping.

Samsung’s next watches may also move to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear Elite platform. Qualcomm has already said the next-generation Galaxy Watch will use the new 3nm chip, which brings an NPU for on-device AI and better power efficiency.

That could matter more than the case design. If Samsung wants more AI health features, smarter coaching and smoother watch performance, the chip underneath needs to keep up without hurting battery life.

A watch launch hiding inside a foldable event

Samsung’s official Unpacked teaser still leans heavily toward foldables. That is not a surprise, as new Z Fold and Z Flip models will probably dominate the stage.

For wearable tech geeks, though, Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 are the products to watch. You’ll be able to watch a life stream of the event on Samsung’s website or its YouTube channel.

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8

Design 8.0/10

Ease of use 8.0/10

Use of information 8.0/10

Value for money 8.0/10

Pros

• – Large display makes data easy to read
• – Useful three-button and crown controls
• – Thin despite its size
• – Strong dual-band GPS battery life
• – Built-in flashlight is genuinely practical

Cons

• – Large case size may not suit everyone
• – Controls take time to learn

Design, hardware

Look & feel

The Amazfit Balance 3 is a large watch. There’s no denying that. But it is a good-looking one.

The 51.4mm case gives it real wrist presence, especially if you are coming from an earlier Balance model or a smaller Garmin. You buy it because you want a big, readable screen in a more premium case. So yes, the size will not be to everyone’s taste. If you have small wrists, you might want to look elsewhere.

I was worried it might look awkward. But the Balance 3 case is quite thin, so it spreads across the wrist rather than sitting like a tall block on top of it. That makes a bigger difference than the case diameter suggests. The low profile also helps the watch stay planted during exercise, which can only help with optical heart rate tracking. It does not feel heavy on the wrist either. So I was pleasantly surprised.

The 1.5-inch AMOLED panel sits under sapphire glass and reaches up to 3,000 nits of peak brightness. Which is a boost from the previous generation.

That brightness means workout data stays readable even in strong sunlight. The extra screen space also makes pace, heart rate, distance and lap information easier to glance at while moving. Maps benefit from the larger panel too, since route lines and surrounding detail have more room to breathe.

The build moves the Balance line away from its old lifestyle watch image. The sapphire glass helps, and the case has a more robust feel than previous Balance models without going full chunky outdoor T-Rex.

The updated button and crown layout is one of the biggest changes in daily use. It is three buttons plus a fully functioning rotating crown, an upgrade from the previous crown and one-button layout. The physical controls work well and it’s good to be able to choose between the crown, physical buttons and touch-screen.

Many people have become fans of the LED smartwatch flashlights. So it is no surprise Zepp Health has decided to include it on Balance 3. It offers different intensities of white light for early starts, plus a red light that does not blast your eyes at night. There is also an SOS option. This is one of those features you do not miss until you have tried it, then suddenly it makes obvious sense.

Rounding everything off is the standard 22mm silicone strap. It keeps things comfortable enough for workouts, and because it is a standard size, swapping it out is easy.

Worth mentioning, I am reviewing the Stainless Steel version of Balance 3. Zepp Health has also announced a Titanium Black edition. But at the time of writing this review, that one is still not available for purchase.

Under the hood

Amazfit Balance 3 does not bring a major internal reset over Balance 2. The core sensor and GPS setup are familiar, so the hardware difference is not very exciting.

The watch uses BioTracker 6.0 for heart rate, blood oxygen, stress, HRV, skin temperature and sleep tracking. That is the same sensor generation used on Balance 2, and I did not see anything that made this feel like a big sensor upgrade.

GPS is familiar too. Balance 3 sticks with dual-band positioning across six satellite systems and a circularly polarised antenna. That was already one of the stronger parts of Balance 2, so any difference in real-world tracking is more likely to come from firmware tuning than a completely new GPS setup.

The one clear internal upgrade is storage. Balance 3 moves to 64GB, giving it more room for offline maps, music and local files. That is useful if you plan to use maps and keep media on the watch.

Connectivity is where you would expect it to be. There is Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2, microphone and speaker support, plus compatibility with external accessories such as heart rate belts, running power meters, cycling power meters, speed sensors and cadence sensors.

Battery life

Real-world battery drain depends entirely on how often you activate the bright 1.5-inch screen and the dual-band GPS. Enabling the always-on display, tracking outdoor workouts, and keeping continuous health metrics active will naturally pull the runtime below the headline three-week mark.

The most important metrics center on GPS tracking endurance. Balance 3 offers up to 41 hours in accuracy GPS mode and hits up to 84 hours in the power-saving configuration. This provides enough headroom for long trail runs, weekend hikes, and travel without constant charging anxiety.

Amazfit Balance 3*

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This longevity ensures you can utilize the tracking features without daily trips to the power outlet. Continuous sleep tracking, recovery statistics, and training history remain useful because the watch stays on your wrist rather than sitting on a charger every night.

Compared to the Balance 2, the standard daily battery figures remain relatively similar. The tangible upgrade shows up in active GPS tracking longevity, aligning with the shift toward detailed mapping and longer outdoor sessions.

Tech specs

Health & fitness tracking

Health tracking on the Balance 3 feels familiar if you have used any recent Amazfit watch. There is no big shake-up here, and honestly that is fine. You get heart rate, blood oxygen, stress, HRV, skin temperature, sleep, breathing quality and the usual one-tap health check.

For everyday use, it just works. Resting heart rate, HRV, sleep duration and stress trends are all easy to glance at in the Zepp Health app. I would still treat trends as more useful than any single score on any given day. That is not really an Amazfit thing either. It is true of pretty much every wrist wearable out there.

Sleep tracking is part of the same familiar package. The Balance 3 is a big watch, but the case is thin enough that it does not get in the way overnight. The app breaks down sleep stages, breathing quality, heart rate and HRV, while also giving you some recovery-style feedback. It gives you enough to work with without turning your sleep into a spreadsheet project.

Zepp OS 6 does not change the health tracking itself, but it does change how some of this information is reached on the watch. BioCharge, movement, heart rate and other daily stats now live in the swipe-up card stack from the watch face. I found the change easy enough to adjust to, but not a dramatic upgrade.

That is probably the right way to look at the health side too. Balance 3 is not throwing a new set of health metrics at you. It is taking the familiar Amazfit package and moving some daily data into the new card layout. That makes the watch feel reorganised rather than completely different.

The broader recovery picture comes from BioCharge, LifeLoad and HybridCharge. These are meant to pull sleep, stress, recovery and daily effort into something more connected. I still treat that kind of guidance as a nudge rather than gospel, but it is more useful than another isolated score.

The Zepp Health app still has its rough edges. There is a lot going on in there, and some of it could use a cleaner layout. The data is useful, but the presentation still needs polish, especially now that Zepp Health is asking users to pay attention to more recovery, readiness and daily load signals.

Sports tracking

The big screen of Balance 3 makes a difference for sports tracking. Workout fields are easy to read on the move, and maps actually feel usable instead of squinting at a tiny display.

HYROX is not just another of the 180+ workout modes here. Balance 3 arrived alongside Zepp Health’s bigger HYROX push in Stockholm, where the company showed how the watch, Zepp Health app and hybrid training tools fit together. The watch supports HYROX Training and HYROX Race modes, plus race strategy features such as Virtual Pace, so you can see whether you are ahead or behind your target during each run and station.

I mostly ran with it, and the GPS held up well. On my 7.5km run against a Garmin watch, the Balance 3 tracked pretty closely overall. All in all, there was around a 30 meter difference in the total distance tracked.

Heart rate surprised me too, in a good way. The first kilometre was a bit off, though that was partly me still fumbling with the controls at the start, but after that the track looked solid enough for normal training runs. Overall, the Forerunner recorded an average heart rate of 146 bpm and a max of 162 bpm. The Amazfit recorded 144 bpm average and the same 162 bpm max.

I still would not call wrist-based optical heart rate perfect, especially during intervals or anything with sharp changes in effort. But for steady running, the Balance 3 gave me numbers close enough to trust. If I wanted tighter data for harder sessions, I would just pair a chest strap or arm strap and not think twice about it.

Just to make sure, I did a second 7.5K run. This time in more challenging conditions – half the run was done in a heavily wooded area. The GPS tracking difference was 40 meters – still close enough. As far as heart rate, Garmin clocked me at an average of 133bpm and a max of 147. The Amazfit came in at 132bpm and 147 bpm – so remarkably close.

As far as the new button setup, it makes way more sense once you are actually working out than it does poking around the menus. As most things that change – it takes a bit of getting used to. Touchscreens are great until your hands get sweaty, it starts raining, or you just need to pause a workout in a hurry. That is where this setup earns its sports watch label.

Maps and navigation are a big part of the appeal here too. The Balance 3 has enough screen real estate to keep routes readable, and the extra storage means more room for offline maps and music.

One thing I am keeping an eye on is altitude data. Zepp Health recently pushed an update claiming it optimized the accuracy of workout altitude data, which caught my attention because I did notice an altitude discrepancy comparing the Balance 3 with my Garmin. It was not enough to throw off the test, but it is exactly the kind of thing that can bite you on a hilly route.

The sports mode list is enormous, but honestly the useful stuff is a lot more specific than that. Running, cycling, swimming, strength training, HYROX tools, external sensor support and structured training features are what actually move the needle. I would rather have those working properly than another endless list of niche modes I am never going to open.

Smartwatch features

I see Amazfit Balance 3 as a fitness watch first and a smartwatch second. That works for me. I get notifications, calls, voice control and everyday tools, but without turning it into another device that needs charging every night.

Notifications are easy to read on the large display. Bluetooth calls are supported, although I only really see myself using them for quick chats. Zepp Flow is more useful day to day. It lets me handle basic commands and replies without digging through menus, even if it is not something I would call essential.

Amazfit Balance 3*

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The usual tools are here too. I used alarms, timers, weather, music controls, voice memo and find my phone. iPhone users get camera control, while Android users get quick replies, so the experience is slightly better on Android.

The LED flashlight is just as useful as I expected. It has white and red light modes, and I used it around the house, at night and on early starts. Now when I test a watch without this feature, I do miss it.

The main limitation is app depth. I would not buy Balance 3 expecting an Apple Watch or Wear OS experience. It handles the useful smartwatch stuff well enough, but the real reason to buy it is still the fitness package, battery life and large screen.

Amazfit Balance 3 can be purchased from Zepp Health or Amazon*

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Hyrox virtual pace arrives

The headline feature here is HYROX Virtual Pace. Zepp Health designed the tool to generate segmented strategy times based on a runner’s target completion time, so athletes training for HYROX events can plan their pace stage by stage rather than guessing on the fly. Anyone who has done a HYROX event knows pacing across the running and functional fitness stations is one of the hardest parts to get right, so having the watch break that down in advance could genuinely help.

Alongside the pacing tool, the update adds Stryd support. Once a Stryd footpod is paired with the watch, pace data from the pod will now show up directly inside HYROX workouts. That gives runners a more accurate read on their running dynamics during a session.

Helio Strap gets a swim role

The update also introduces a new swimming mode tied to the Amazfit Helio Strap. When the watch is connected to the Helio Strap and a swim session begins, the strap automatically switches over to a swimming specific heart rate model. Once the session ends, that heart rate data gets synced back to the watch.

Swimming has traditionally been one of the trickier sports for wrist based heart rate tracking. So offloading that job to a dedicated strap makes sense from an accuracy standpoint.

Multi-device sync

The most interesting part may be Data Fusion and Write-back. This is essentially multi-device sync. When you have a number of different devices that you use at the same time, the app can fuse activity data such as steps, calories and distance, then sync that data back to the devices.

That sounds dry, but it is important. People are increasingly using more than one device. A watch for workouts, a ring or band for sleep, maybe a strap for heart rate. Without proper fusion, the user ends up with duplicated steps, conflicting calories or gaps between devices.

Write-back is the piece to watch. It suggests Zepp Health does not only want to collect data in the app. It wants to push a cleaner version back to the devices as well.

No ZeppOS 6, for now

Interestingly, there is no mention of ZeppOS 6. We say “interestingly”, because Active 3 Premium is on the list to receive the new operating system in July.

We checked the roadmap, and there is no visual change in the rollout schedule, so there does not appear to be a delay. Which means owners of this device can look forward to another firmware update in the next few weeks.

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Bip Max already picked up a decent feature drop in late May with firmware version 3.8.0.1, adding Hybrid Training, marathon training plans, Training Calendar, Gear Management, Pickleball 2.0 and BioCharge trend cards. This latest release builds on that.

ZeppOS 6 reaches a cheaper model

The important part here is that Bip Max is no longer sitting on the outside of the ZeppOS 6 rollout. That is good news for owners because this is not one of Amazfit’s expensive outdoor or premium training watches.

The update screen says this is a “new experience update” for Amazfit Bip Max. The first visible change is Zepp Flow V2.3.1, with BioCharge officially renamed to HybridCharge. That matches the wider shift we have already seen from Zepp Health, where the old body energy style feature is being folded into a broader recovery and load concept.

The other named upgrade is Daily Brief 2.0. The change-log describes this as a fully upgraded Morning Brief, with richer content and more actionable insights.

Most smartwatch morning summaries still feel like a dashboard dump. Sleep, recovery, weather, training suggestions and calendar prompts often sit in separate places. A better Daily Brief should pull those together without making the user dig through menus before breakfast.

Workout Voice Memo is another small feature that could be more useful than it sounds. The update screen says users can quickly record voice notes during workouts, and then replay them later on.

That could help runners and cyclists who want to capture how a session felt without typing on a phone afterwards. It also fits with the broader ZeppOS 6 push toward training context, not just raw numbers.

The wider ZeppOS 6 rollout

The Bip Max update also helps fill in the early part of the ZeppOS 6 rollout. Balance 3 and Balance Ultra started things off because they launched with the new software, while Cheetah 2 Ultra was among the first existing models to receive it.

July should be the busier stretch. Zepp Health has Balance 2, T-Rex Ultra 2, T-Rex 3 Pro, T-Rex 3, Cheetah 2 Pro and Active 3 Premium down for this month. Active Max should follow in August. Still no word when/if ZeppOS 6 will land on Bip 6 and Active 2 round and square.

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