Smartwatch Or Fitness Tracker Without Internet Dependence, Is There Such A Thing?

Smartwatch or Fitness Tracker Without Internet dependence and without an account(no app or phone is needed), Is there such a thing at all? which ones are the Best?

In this article, I will talk about privacy concerns, which seem to bother many fitness tracker enthusiasts.

With fitness trackers having made the fitness scene so much more interactive and optimal, it only makes sense for them to become more technologically advanced.

This, however, has made them all the more dependent on a constant internet connection. Being constantly connected to the internet is also a huge drain on the battery life of a fitness tracker.

While most people don’t have a problem with their fitness trackers needing the internet all the time, some people find it an overhead cost.

Also, if you happen to work in a place with limited cellphone reception you might find yourself in a situation where you won’t be able to use your fitness tracker all that well or at all.

This makes having an internet connection the Achilles heel for most fitness trackers and only makes sense for one to be aware of any fitness trackers that work without the internet.

But the main reason why people would not want to use an Internet app with their tracker is because of privacy concerns and their will not to share their private data with other companies.

When it comes to Fitness trackers and Smartwatches, I will always prefer to buy from the big brands, However, If you’re looking for a cheap fitness tracker without Bluetooth or an app that is working pretty well then check out my post: 5 Best Fitness Trackers Without Bluetooth Or App

Smartwatch or Fitness Tracker Without Internet Dependence or Account, what is available And Which Ones Are Best For Our Privacy Matters

Yes, there are several smartwatches and fitness trackers that can function without an internet connection or smartphone. Here are some notable options:

Garmin Smartwatches

Garmin smartwatches like the Fenix 6X Pro, Vivoactive 5, and Forerunner series are designed to work independently without a phone. They have built-in GPS, and heart rate monitoring, and can track activities, sleep, and other metrics locally on the device. Data syncs to Garmin’s app when connected to a phone or computer, but the watches work fine offline.

Fitbit Fitness Trackers

Fitbit trackers like the Charge 6 can track steps, heart rate, sleep, and activities without a phone or internet. They store data for up to 7 days and sync it to the Fitbit app when connected.

Apple Watch

The Apple Watch can track many fitness metrics like workouts, heart rate, and activity rings without an iPhone nearby. However, it requires initial setup and periodic syncing with an iPhone to fully utilize its capabilities.

Samsung Galaxy Watch

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch series can independently track fitness data, with built-in GPS and heart rate sensors, without relying on a smartphone connection.

The key advantage of these devices is their ability to locally track fitness data using onboard sensors, storing it until the next sync with a phone or computer. This allows you to leave your phone behind during workouts or offline periods while still capturing your activity.

However, You will eventually have to sync them to their dedicated app to be able to use them as intended so an Internet connection will be required periodically.

Smartwatch or Fitness Tracker With No Phone Dependence

This is a question that a lot of people ask and it seems that each one has his own meaning for “no Phone needed”.

If by meaning “no phone needed” you refer to an activity tracker that will track and store your data without the need to be near your phone then most of the trackers are good for you.

Most of the trackers will store your activity data(some of them for up to 7 days) without being near the phone. However, eventually, you will have to sync it with an adapted app(on your phone or computer) to review your stats and to keep tracking.

If by “no phone needed” you mean a watch that is able to take and receive calls, SMS, and notifications without the presence of your phone then I have a related article for you on this website about the best fitness trackers that are able to take and receive calls and notifications.

Some people want GPS tracking and if they don’t have a built-in GPS in their tracker they will need to use the one on their phone, meaning they will have to carry it with them.

Other people, when referring to “no phone needed” are asking for no need to connect to the Internet at all which is what this article is all about.

Potential Dangers To User Privacy Inherent In The Use Of Health And Fitness Applications

What Is The Concern?

Despite their many distinct advantages, these measures often collect a lot of sensitive information. The concern is that insufficient information security, or the transmission of information to third parties interested in it, may harm the privacy of users.

Furthermore, data collected by these means can be cross-referenced with personal information from other sources, such as pharmaceutical companies, and in doing so may result in compromised user privacy.

What Information Might Be Collected?

Applications may collect information provided by the users themselves when registering for the service, such as name, e-mail address, age, gender, height, weight, and sometimes even a picture.

Moreover, apps may retain users’ physiological data, which they “collect” as part of their training and fitness routine.

In addition, some of the applications collect information about the user’s training routine, such as the days and times they practice, the location of the training, the route of the activity (eg walking or pedaling), and more.

The main concern is that sensitive information will be transferred to third parties by the service operators or application developers without the user’s consent, or that security breaches will allow leakage of the information.

Another concern is that information will be used excessively by the database owner, beyond the purpose for which the information was provided.

In light of the fact that some of the information that may be collected is sensitive information that enables to learn about the medical condition of the user as well as his lifestyle, transferring it to third parties, such as employers or insurance companies, may harm the privacy of the user and cause undesirable results.

Given the current possibility of performing Big Data analyses, even data that is not defined as medical or sensitive data can lead to conclusions about users. Therefore, beyond the violation of privacy and personal autonomy of users, this may have significant implications.

For example, insurance companies may raise a user’s health insurance premium based on the health data collected by a particular application.

It should also be remembered that this sensitive information has great economic value, and therefore there are many commercial entities that would be interested in receiving it.

For example, pharmaceutical companies seeking to promote products for the treatment of hypertension will be interested in receiving information about people suffering from this disease in order to promote their products.

So, Is There Such A Thing As a Smartwatch Without the Internet? What Are The Alternatives?

Smartwatches these days are designed to be used with their companion app. Although you can use most modern fitness trackers without their companion apps or connecting them to the internet, you will have to sacrifice some app-specific features such as ECG & advanced sleep metrics.

So, If you can live without these advanced features, keep reading because I’m going to share the top fitness trackers & devices you can use without connecting them to the internet or their companion apps. But keep in mind that it will affect dramatically their functionality as these were intended to sync with a dedicated app.

1. Samsung Galaxy Watch 5,6

Samsung Galaxy Watch is one of the most popular smartwatches out there and it’s packed with modern features.

Like most smartwatches, Galaxy Watch is designed to be used with its companion app but it can also be used as a stand-alone smartwatch. The Galaxy Watch comes with tons of useful features such as a step counter, heart-rate monitoring, workout tracking, sleep tracking, stress tracking, and ECG. 

Most of these features can be used on Galaxy Watch and you won’t need to connect it to your smartphone to get insights. However, if you want to see detailed insights & ECG, you may need to connect it with the companion app once in a while.

Galaxy Watch also comes with dedicated storage where the watch will keep your fitness data safe but once it’s full, the data will be overridden by new data. So, if you want to keep your fitness data safe, you can connect the Galaxy watch to its companion app once in a while and your data will stay safe.

Overall, If you are looking for a high-end Android smartwatch that you can use without connecting it to the internet or its companion app, the Galaxy Watch is a solid option.

2. Google Pixel Watch 1,2

Google Pixel Watch is another very popular smartwatch that you can use without internet dependency. 

In terms of features, Google Pixel Watch is as good as Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and both smartwatches share similar features. In Pixel Watch, you get advanced fitness tracking features such as automatic workout-tracking, step counter, sleep tracking, ECG, heart-rate monitoring, and stress tracking.

Most of these features can be used on the Pixel Watch without connecting it to the internet or its companion app. However, you may need to use the companion app if you want to get detailed insights. Other than that, you can use the Google Pixel Watch pretty much without the internet.

The Google Pixel Watch also comes with 32 GB Storage which is more than enough to store your data and songs. Google also offers the LTE version of the Pixel Watch which allows you to make calls and send messages directly from the watch without the phone.

Overall, If you are looking for a modern Android smartwatch with great storage capacity, Google Pixel Watch is a great option.

3. Fitbit Charge 5

Fitbit Charge 5 is another very promising fitness tracker which doesn’t rely on the internet and you can use most of its features on its own.

In terms of features, Fitbit Charge 5 is the most feature-rich fitness tracker in its category. It has features such as a step counter, ECG, SPO2, sleep tracking, heart-rate monitoring, and workout tracking. 

The Charge 5 comes with enough storage to store data about your activities for 7 days and once this limit is reached, the fitness tracker will discard the old data. So, if you want to protect your data from being discarded, you will need to connect the Charge 5 to its companion app on your smartphone every 7 days.

However, if you don’t want to connect it to its companion app, the Charge 5 will keep working normally and it will keep overriding the old data with the new data.

Overall, If you are looking for a compact fitness tracker that you can use without connecting it to the internet, you can consider the Fitbit Charge 5.

4. 3DFitBud Pedometer

If you don’t want to invest in a fitness tracker and are looking for a simple fitness tracker to track your steps, you can consider the 3DFitBud Pedometer.

It’s a basic pedometer that comes with 3D Tri-Axis sensor technology which allows the pedometer to track your step count with great accuracy.

The pedometer also comes with a big display where it will show the number of recorded steps. Similarly, the overall built quality of the pedometer is also pretty good for its price. Overall, if you want a simple device to track your steps without internet dependency, you can consider the 3DFitBud Pedometer.

Are there pedometer Apps That Can Work Without An Internet Connection?

Yes, there are several pedometer apps that can work offline without an internet connection.

The key factors that allow these apps to work offline are using the phone’s built-in sensors (accelerometer, pedometer) for step counting instead of relying on GPS or internet data.

What are the Best Offline Pedometer Apps for Android

Here are some of the best pedometer apps for Android that can work offline without an internet connection:

Simply Walking

Simply Walking is a free GPS pedometer app that works offline by utilizing the phone’s GPS to track distance and estimate steps. It allows you to calibrate the app for better step-counting accuracy.

Pedometer & Step Counter

This app uses built-in motion sensors to count steps without needing internet access. It can track steps, distance, calories burned, and other metrics entirely offline.

EasyFit Pedometer

EasyFit Pedometer is a free ad-supported pedometer app that counts steps using the phone’s sensors instead of GPS, allowing it to work offline with minimal battery impact.

Pedometer by REPS

This is a simple step counter app that uses the motion sensor to track steps, distance, and other fitness data offline. It provides basic reporting without extra features.

Pacer Pedometer

Pacer Pedometer can track steps, distance, calories, and other activity metrics entirely offline without the Internet, though some social features require the Internet. It allows calibrating sensitivity for improved accuracy.

Can I Use Google Fit without an Internet Connection

Yes, you can use Google Fit to track steps and other sensor data without an internet connection or offline mode.

Key Points

• Google Fit utilizes the phone’s built-in sensors like the accelerometer and pedometer to count steps and track activity data locally on the device, without requiring an internet connection.
• Google Fit continues to track and record steps even when their phone is in airplane mode or has no internet connectivity during activities like walks.
• While some features like syncing data with other apps or devices may require internet access, the core functionality of tracking steps, distance, and activity metrics using the phone’s sensors works offline.
• Google Fit can pull step count data from connected wearable devices like Fitbit even without the internet, as long as the device itself has recorded the data.
• The accuracy of step counting and activity tracking may vary depending on the device’s sensors, but the ability to function offline is a key feature of Google Fit.

So in summary, Google Fit is designed to track steps, distance, and other fitness data locally on the device using built-in sensors, allowing it to work reliably without an internet connection or offline mode.

Can I Sync my Google Fit Data Later After Going Offline

Yes, you can sync your Google Fit data later after going offline or using the app without an internet connection. The key points are:

1. Google Fit tracks steps, distance, and activity data locally on your device using the built-in sensors, even when you are offline or have no internet connection.
2. Any fitness data recorded by Google Fit while offline will automatically sync to your Google account once you regain an internet connection. The syncing happens in the background without needing to open the app.
3. You can manually force a sync of your Google Fit data by going to your device’s account sync settings and tapping “Sync Google Fit Data” or toggling it off and on again.
4. Plugging in your phone to charge can also trigger a sync of Google Fit data with your account, as some users reported getting notifications about updated activity stats right after charging their device.
5. If you had previously exported your Google Fit data, you can restore it on your device by signing into the same Google account and letting it sync the cloud data.

So in summary, while Google Fit works offline by tracking activities locally, it will automatically upload and sync that data to your Google account whenever an internet connection is available again. You don’t need to be online for it to record activities, and the syncing process is seamless in the background or can be manually triggered if needed.

Additional Frequently Asked Questions [FAQs]

Do Smartwatches Need The Internet?

Most smartwatches can be used as stand-alone smartwatches but if you need to install apps or the latest firmware updates, you may need to connect them to the internet.

Can A Fitness Tracker Be Used Without A Smartphone?

Yes, you can use most fitness trackers on their own and you will only need to connect them to a smartphone to sync the data. As fitness trackers come with limited storage, you will need to sync the data with the companion app on the smartphone or new data will override it.

What Fitness Trackers Work Without A Phone?

These are the best fitness trackers that keep working well even if you don’t connect them to a smartphone.

• Samsung Galaxy Watch 5,6
• Google Pixel Watch 1,2
• Fitbit Charge 5

Conclusion

So, whether you happen to be a traditionalist or are conscious of uploading your data to an app or a server, these are some fitness trackers that are simple to set up and effective to use.

Yes, I know that they are not as fancy and feature-rich as the ones from the big brands that require a constant internet connection,

However, they can be quite helpful and fun and will cost much much less. You no longer have to worry about having to sync your fitness tracker to your phone constantly or struggling for the internet to be able to view your data on an app since no app or account is needed.

I hope that I helped you to find a fitness tracker without Internet dependence. Here is an article on my website that you must read, it’s about the Best 11 Fitness Trackers For Sleep Tracking.