Timex had launched Metropolitan+ analog watch that also acts like an activity tracker last year. The company is now back with a successor this year with Timex IQ+ Move. Priced at Rs. 9,995, it is an analog watch that also acts as a smart fitness tracker. I have been using this watch for few days, so let’s take a detailed look at the review.
Box Contents
- Timex iQ+ Move
- Quick Guide and Manual
Design
The Timex iQ+ Move is an analog watch with a standard design. It has stylish yet sporty look as the watch face is simple which uses indicators instead of numbers to depict time. There is a sub dial inside the watch face which offers a quick look at your activity as it progresses throughout the day. There are three hands that depict hours, minutes and seconds.
It has a 41mm metal case. The watch has a thin case which feels better than the chunky dials. Our review unit is the Black Dial variant with Blue Accents. The silicon strap compliments well with the sleek dial. It is comfortable to wear during workouts and physical activities as it can handle sweat. I did not feel any rash or itchiness after wearing the watch for too long.
The IQ+ Move is rated 5ATM for water resistance. You can easily wear the watch while taking a shower or dip in the pool.
There is a crown on the right side of the watch that you need to press for syncing it with your smartwatch. You can also press the crown to turn on the INDIGLO night light that shows you time when it is dark.
You can configure the sub-dial to either show you the steps goal or the distance covered goal. Moreover, the second hand in the dial can also be configured to show the date, steps and the distance covered.
Performance and Features
The Timex iQ+ Move uses Bluetooth technology to connect with Android and iOS phones through Timex Connected app and can track all day activity such as steps, distance, calories and sleep. Once you download the app and fill the necessary details like name, age, height, weight and sleep and wake up time, you are good to go. In order to sync the watch to the app you will have to keep them connected all time. Another way is to turn on the Bluetooth whenever you want to check your details and sync the watch manually.
Unfortunately, syncing the watch is not a seamless process and becomes frustrating after some point. In order to sync the watch with your phone, you will have to long press the crown until you hear a three tone melody. After this, both the needles rest at 12 and then it is synced with the app. There should have been a better way to sync the watch as you will have to repeat same steps over and over again.
Coming back to the performance, the step counting is pretty good and was almost accurate most of the time. However, the distance tracking is not that accurate due to the lack of the GPS in the watch. Along with step tracking, the iQ+Move also monitors sleep which is also pretty much accurate. The app is decent and has a simple yet attractive UI. It shows steps, distance, calories burned, and the duration of sleep. You can get more details by tapping into each of the tabs that will show stats according to day, week, months.
Unlike a fitness tracker, you will not need to worry about the battery life or charging on the iQ+Move. Timex claims that the fitness band’s battery can last for up to a year, thanks to traditional watch battery.
Conclusion
The Timex iQ+ Move scores in terms of build quality design and sticks to its simple analog nature. The almost accurate fitness and sleep tracking is an added bonus which makes it a strong competitor to the fitness trackers from Fitbit, Garmin and others. However, it lacks important features such as GPS, heart rate sensors, call or message support, which are usually present on even basic fitness trackers. Lack of a touchscreen display is also one of the drawbacks of the iQ+ Move.
To sum up, the Timex iQ+Move is a basic fitness tracker that does the job of tracking your activity and sleep. At the end of the day it is an analog watch with features of a fitness trackers.
Pros
- Good design and build quality
- Long lasting battery
- Descent step and sleep tracking
Cons
- Syncing the watch is cumbersome
- Limited advanced features