Hands-on with the first EMG smartwatch: Xiaomi Watch 5 is back in the Wear OS fold
Summary
The Xiaomi Watch 5 returns to Wear OS, featuring enhanced functionalities and innovative features. This latest smartwatch promises to elevate user experience, making it a compelling choice for tech enthusiasts and fitness lovers alike.
Key Insights
What is an EMG sensor and how does it work differently from traditional smartwatch motion detection?
EMG (electromyography) is a sensor that detects electrical signals produced by muscle activity in your wrist, rather than relying on accelerometers that guess movement based on arm motion. The EMG sensor reads subtle electrical impulses from your muscles, allowing it to recognize fine hand gestures and intentions even when your arm isn't moving. This enables hands-free control through actions like pinching twice to hang up a call, rubbing twice to dismiss an alarm, or snapping fingers to launch apps. This approach is significantly more accurate than the accelerometers used by competitors like Apple and Samsung, as it can detect precise muscle movements that traditional sensors might miss.
What are the key health monitoring capabilities of the Xiaomi Watch 5?
The Xiaomi Watch 5 offers comprehensive health tracking through multiple sensors and features. It includes ECG (electrocardiogram) analysis with 30-second readings for heart rhythm monitoring and atrial fibrillation detection, continuous heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen (SpO₂) tracking, advanced sleep stage analysis with a dedicated Sleep Improvement Plan, and stress detection. The watch also provides a one-tap health scan that measures heart rate, blood oxygen, stress, and other indicators in approximately 60 seconds, generating a comprehensive health report. Additionally, it supports over 150 sports modes with advanced running metrics, 3D animated gym guidance for indoor training, and offline maps with dual-band GNSS for outdoor navigation.