Smartwatches for Seniors – Senior Smartwatch Features to Look For

Looking for the best smartwatch for yourself or for a senior in your life? Discover smartwatches with important features for seniors like fall detection, health tracking, and easy-to-use interfaces. 

Want the Best Smartwatch for Seniors? Here’s What You Need to Know 

There’s a lot to consider when you’re shopping for a smartwatch, for yourself or someone you care about. There are many brands available, with Samsung and Google being among the most popular. 

When comparing smartwatches for seniors, there are several beneficial features to look for. These include readability, health monitoring, battery life, and safety features like fall detection, emergency SOS buttons, and GPS location tracking. 

Features to look for with a smartwatch for seniors 

Large, High-Contrast Display 

Readability is vital in a smartwatch for seniors. A big screen with bright, large, easy-to-read text is essential for visibility, especially in varying lighting conditions. 

Intuitive User Interface 

Simple navigation, large icons, straightforward menus, and an option for voice commands will make the use of the watch much easier for those who may be less technologically inclined. 

Fall Detection 

Safety first. Many smartwatches offer an automatic fall detection feature that will alert contacts and/or emergency services if a fall is detected. 

Emergency SOS  

Quick access to an Emergency SOS feature that allows the wearer to quickly and easily call for help in an emergency. 

GPS Tracking 

The built-in GPS in a smartwatch enables location tracking, making it easy for contacts or emergency services to quickly pinpoint the location of the wearer during an emergency event. 

Health Monitoring 

Continuous heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen level tracking, sleep tracking, ECG tracking, and even Medical ID integration help the wearer monitor and manage their health and fitness. 

Long Battery Life 

A lengthy battery-life means less charging and more wearing, which is helpful for the senior who is taking advantage of the watch’s many other features. 

Voice Assistant and Commands 

The use of a voice assistant to operate the watch and access its features can be helpful to anyone, but especially to a senior who may experience dexterity challenges or struggle to navigate a complex menu or small buttons. 

Water Resistance 

Water-resistant design means the watch can be worn throughout daily activities, including showering, which can be beneficial in the event of health event.

Connectivity 

The ability to make and receive calls and send and receive messages keeps the wearer connected to family and friends, offering an added sense of security and independence. 

Our Best Smartwatches for Seniors 

Learn more about our top smartwatches for seniors 

Google Pixel Watch 4 

The Google Pixel Watch 4 boasts their most accurate and precise heart-rate tracking,^1,2,3 a body response feature that can detect stress,⁴ AFib assessments,^1,5 an ECG app,^1,5 irregular heart rhythm notifications,^1,5 and alerts if your heart rate is outside your normal range.^1,5 Safety and emergency features include Loss of Pulse Detection,⁶ Fall Detection,⁷ Emergency Sharing,⁸ Car Crash Detection,⁹ and Emergency SOS.¹⁰ 

Samsung Galaxy Watch8 

Samsung Galaxy Watch8 has a long battery life¹ and smart health tracking. Accessibility features include adjustable font size, VOICE service for the blind, and Emergency Call. The Galaxy Watch8 has health and wellness sensors measuring heart rate and ECG.² With the addition of a Watch plan from Xfinity Mobile, the Galaxy Watch8 allows you to stay connected with calls and texts, even if your phone isn’t nearby. 

Check out everything else that Xfinity Mobile has to offer 

One More Consideration: Compatibility 

One more thing to consider when smartwatch shopping is compatibility with the phone that the senior uses. In some cases, a particular smartwatch may only be compatible with a certain brand of phone. For example, the Apple Watch only works with an Apple iPhone, and while some Android Smartwatches, including some Samsung Galaxy Watch models, may work on an iPhone, they tend to work better with Android phones.

Add a line to your Smartwatch with Xfinity Mobile 

Make the most of your devices with Xfinity Mobile. Connect your smartwatch to a powerful network with millions of secure WiFi hotspots. Your smartwatch line will keep you connected when you’re at home and on the go. 

Learn more about Xfinity Mobile deals and devices 

• Cell Phones for Seniors: What to Know Before Buying 

• Shopping for a Samsung Watch? Here are the features you need to know. 

• Key Features of The Google Pixel Watch 3 

Pricing & other info 

Restrictions apply. Not available in all areas. Xfinity Mobile requires residential post-pay Xfinity Internet. Line limitations may apply. Equip., intl. and roaming charges, taxes and fees, including reg. recovery fees, and other charges extra, and subj. to change. $25/mo. charge applies if Xfinity TV, Internet or Voice post-pay services not maintained. Pricing subject to change. During times of network congestion, your cellular data speeds may be slower temporarily. After monthly data use threshold for a line is exceeded, speeds are reduced until the billing cycle ends. A minimum $20.00 charge applies per month, per account for By the Gig lines, regardless of data usage. Charges apply to each GB or partial GB of shared data. No rollover data. For Xfinity Mobile Broadband Disclosures visit: www.xfinity.com/mobile/policies/broadband-disclosures.  

Google Pixel Watch 4 

Google Pixel Watch 4 works with most phones running on Android 11.0 or newer. Requires Google Account and Google Pixel Watch app. Some features require a Fitbit mobile app and/or Fitbit Premium membership. See g.co/pixelwatch/specs for technical and device specifications.The ECG app is only available in select countries. Not intended for use by people under 22 years old. See fitbit.com/ecg for additional details. ¹Like all heart rate tracking technologies, accuracy is affected by physiology, location of device, and your movements and activity. ²Requires Fitbit mobile app, a Google Account, compatible Android device, and internet connection. Premium content and features are subject to change, may vary based on device, are not available in all countries, and may be in English only. ³Compared to Pixel Watch 2. The heart rate tracking feature on Pixel Watch 4 is the same as on Pixel Watch 3. ⁵The ECG app is only available in select countries. Not intended for use by people under 22 years old with known atrial fibrillation or other known arrhythmias. See fitbit.com/ecg for additional details. ⁶Loss of Pulse Detection may not detect every instance of a loss of pulse and is not intended for users with pre-existing heart conditions or those who require cardiac monitoring. It does not diagnose or treat any medical condition. Emergency calling is dependent on call functionality. See g.co/fitbit/lossofpulse for more information on the Loss of Pulse Detection feature. ⁷Fall Detection is not available in all countries and depends on network connectivity and other factors. Your watch may not be reliable for emergency communications. Fall Detection may not detect all falls. To call emergency services on a Google Pixel Watch without 4G LTE, your paired phone must be nearby. Users must grant location permission for Fall Detection to share location externally. Data rates may apply. See g.co/pixelwatch/personalsafety for more details. ⁸Data rates may apply. Emergency Sharing requires location enabled and 4G LTE service or an internet connection. Emergency Sharing is dependent upon network connectivity and other factors and may not be reliable for emergency communications or available in all countries or languages. See g.co/pixelwatch/personalsafety for more details.&nbsp⁹Car Crash Detection is not available in all languages or countries. For country and language availability and more information, see support.google.com/googlepixelwatch?p=ccd. Car Crash Detection may not detect all crashes. High-impact activities could also trigger Car Crash Detection. This feature is dependent upon network connectivity and other factors and may not be reliable for emergency communications or available in all areas. ¹⁰Emergency SOS requires location enabled and 4G LTE service or an internet connection. Emergency SOS is dependent upon network connectivity and other factors and may not be reliable for emergency communications or available in all countries or languages. See g.co/pixelwatch/personalsafety for more details. Pixel Watch Satellite SOS may not be available in all countries, regions, or circumstances. It is included at no additional charge for 2 years after activation. Your device, location and contact info may be shared with Google, emergency service and satellite service providers.  

Samsung Galaxy Watch8 

Galaxy AI features track data and require compatible Samsung Galaxy phone, Samsung Health app and Samsung account. Requires compatible smartphone. ¹Based on typical use; results may vary. ²The heart rate software functions are not intended for medical use.