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Snapchat's New Dual Camera Feature Also Works With AR Lenses: Hands-On
Snapchat's New Dual Camera Feature Also Works With AR Lenses: Hands-On
Snapchat's newest update is a feature that seems like the company's answer to the popular BeReal app: You can use the front and rear camera at the same time. But whereas BeReal emphasizes using unfiltered photos, Snapchat's dual-camera feature works with tons of filters and augmented reality effects, with more likely to come. The feature, launching Monday, is something I played around with over the weekend. It's surprisingly useful.
Simultaneous dual camera apps are something whose promise has been in the works for years. Filmic Pro added dual camera support in 2020, and Apple's ARKit supported AR blending front and rear cameras back in 2019.
The feature appears as an icon in the main camera menu that looks like two cameras on top of each other. Tap it, and there are several modes to shoot in: split-screen horizontal, vertical, a picture-in-picture with the selfie in a little circle, and a cutout that layers the selfie shot into the rear shot. The Cutout mode is my favorite and gives a TikTok-like style in real time.
Instagram also introduced a dual camera mode earlier this year, but Snapchat's dual camera works with all its AR lenses. At the moment, current AR lenses can be added post-capture, but Snapchat's adding pre-capture dual-camera lenses soon, and building out support for creator AR lenses that do this. A few examples a Snapchat representative showed me over a video chat -- two AR-costumed people having a conversation or projecting your own AR-filtered face on a sofa in your room -- look totally fun and bizarre.
According to Snapchat, the dual camera feature was originally intended for Snap's Creator Cam in Director Mode, but the feature's expanded to the main Snapchat app... most likely to compete with the growing field of rapidly transforming video social apps, TikTok and otherwise.
The AR elements of Snapchat's dual camera feature look the most intriguing and transformative. While this dual-camera mode isn't currently designed for AR glasses in mind, it's conceivable that this mode combined with Snap's future AR glasses could end up allowing for simultaneous capture of AR and reaction shots, or even more unusual effects.
At the moment, the dual camera mode runs on iOS, needing an iPhone XS or later to work. Android support is expected in the next few months.
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Snapchat's New Dual Camera Feature Also Works With AR Lenses: Hands-On
Snapchat's New Dual Camera Feature Also Works With AR Lenses: Hands-On
Snapchat's newest update is a feature that seems like the company's answer to the popular BeReal app: You can use the front and rear camera at the same time. But whereas BeReal emphasizes using unfiltered photos, Snapchat's dual-camera feature works with tons of filters and augmented reality effects, with more likely to come. The feature, launching Monday, is something I played around with over the weekend. It's surprisingly useful.
Simultaneous dual camera apps are something whose promise has been in the works for years. Filmic Pro added dual camera support in 2020, and Apple's ARKit supported AR blending front and rear cameras back in 2019.
The feature appears as an icon in the main camera menu that looks like two cameras on top of each other. Tap it, and there are several modes to shoot in: split-screen horizontal, vertical, a picture-in-picture with the selfie in a little circle, and a cutout that layers the selfie shot into the rear shot. The Cutout mode is my favorite and gives a TikTok-like style in real time.
Instagram also introduced a dual camera mode earlier this year, but Snapchat's dual camera works with all its AR lenses. At the moment, current AR lenses can be added post-capture, but Snapchat's adding pre-capture dual-camera lenses soon, and building out support for creator AR lenses that do this. A few examples a Snapchat representative showed me over a video chat -- two AR-costumed people having a conversation or projecting your own AR-filtered face on a sofa in your room -- look totally fun and bizarre.
According to Snapchat, the dual camera feature was originally intended for Snap's Creator Cam in Director Mode, but the feature's expanded to the main Snapchat app... most likely to compete with the growing field of rapidly transforming video social apps, TikTok and otherwise.
The AR elements of Snapchat's dual camera feature look the most intriguing and transformative. While this dual-camera mode isn't currently designed for AR glasses in mind, it's conceivable that this mode combined with Snap's future AR glasses could end up allowing for simultaneous capture of AR and reaction shots, or even more unusual effects.
At the moment, the dual camera mode runs on iOS, needing an iPhone XS or later to work. Android support is expected in the next few months.
Snapchat's emoji pins are crazy fun. Here's how to use them
Snapchat's emoji pins are crazy fun. Here's how to use them
Snapchat sensed you might be getting bored with swapping faces, so you can now stick emojis on moving objects in your Snapchat videos instead.
You've always been able to add emojis to your photo or video snaps, but now those emojis can move along with whatever face -- or thing -- you tie it to.
The end result makes something like this possible:
Fun, right? As you can see with the taco emojis (below), the emoji pins don't have to cover the selected object -- they can move around it too.
How to use Snapchat's emoji pin feature
To pin an emoji in Snapchat, record a video, ideally one that focuses on a moving object. It could be someone dancing or a dog running around (see above). Once you're happy with the video, tap the emoji icon at the top of the preview screen and select the one you want to use.
Twitter user @NoPattern used the new feature to fill his world with emoji tacos.
Twitter user @NoPattern.
I suggest re-sizing the emoji at this point. Once you pin it, it's harder to re-size it without having to re-pin. Next, long press on the emoji until the video pauses. Drag the emoji to the item you want it to follow. Snapchat will reload the video, and the emoji should follow along.
In testing, it's taken me a few tries to get Snapchat's tracking feature to work properly. I captured another video which started with my dog further away, but Snapchat couldn't track him until he got much closer. The new feature is easiest to use on videos that feature objects moving closer to the camera.
While you're learning new Snapchat features, read about the five hidden features that every Snapchat user needs to try.
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Snapchat to end Snapcash payment system amid fierce competition
Snapchat to end Snapcash payment system amid fierce competition
Snapchat will end Snapcash on August 30, as its payment transfer service faces competition on multiple fronts.
A Snapchat spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch on Sunday that the service will be discontinued.
"Yes, we're discontinuing the Snapcash feature as of August 30, 2018," the company wrote. "Snapcash was our first product created in partnership with another company -- Square. We're thankful for all the Snapchatters who used Snapcash for the last four years and for Square's partnership!"
A notification will hit the Snapchat app and its support site soon, the spokesperson said.
Snapcash, which was launched in 2014, may have been largely forgotten as other peer-to-peer payment apps like PayPal, Venmo and Zelle grew.
Even though Snapchat is losing its payment feature, there's still plenty happening for app. Its Snapchat Spectacles are available for $60 (down from $130), while its Lens Explorer helps you find community creations easily. Check out CNET's guide to 20 things every new Snapchat user should know.
Twitter lets iOS users share tweets as stickers on Snapchat
Twitter lets iOS users share tweets as stickers on Snapchat
Cross-posting between social media platforms is nothing new, but now, Twitter has a new twist on cross-posting to Snapchat. Starting today, iOS users can share tweets within their Snapchat stories by stamping those tweets right into the frame.
To do so, iOS users can open the Twitter app and pick out a tweet, then tap the share button followed by the Snapchat icon. From there, you'll arrive in the Snapchat app with a newly made sticker version of the tweet that links back to the full conversation on Twitter. Just stamp it into your story and voila.
Share Tweets as stickers in your Snapchat Stories!
▪️ On iOS, tap the share icon on a Tweet ▪️ Select the Snapchat icon at the bottom of the share menu to create the sticker ▪️ Once shared, the Snap will link back to the Tweet on Twitter where you can see the whole conversation https://t.co/G5AnV8pbcf
— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) December 10, 2020
The feature arrives weeks after the debut of fleets, which are Instagram- and Snapchat Story-like Twitter posts that sit above the timeline and vanish after 24 hours. Between that and this, Twitter seems focused on making sure that it stays relevant to users who might be less interested in lists and timelines than in personalized, ephemeral content.
"We're working on rolling this out for Twitter for Android soon," a Twitter spokesperson tells CNET. "In the coming days we'll be testing a similar integration with Instagram for a small group of people on iOS devices. We hope that these will be the first of many integrations of its kind."
The race to build AR glasses is heating up, and Samsung is surprisingly quiet
The race to build AR glasses is heating up, and Samsung is surprisingly quiet
It's only January, but 2022 is already shaping up to be a big year for augmented and virtual reality. It was one of the most prevalent themes at CES, which featured AR and VR announcements from Sony, Microsoft and Qualcomm (among others). Apple is also rumored to finally make its anticipated move into the smart headset space this or next year.
Yet, one company has been unusually quiet on the AR and VR front in recent years: Samsung.
The South Korean tech giant made a name for itself early on primarily through its line of Gear VR smartphone-based headsets, which launched in 2014. But companies like Meta, Microsoft and Snap have made bigger strides in the past couple of years.
Samsung has a reputation for experimenting with new technologies early and often, typically before other major competitors like Apple. Its decision to enter the Android smartphone market early -- more than a decade ago -- also helped it become the world's largest mobile device maker in terms of market share. That makes Samsung's relative absence from the smart glasses discourse all the more puzzling.
Smart glasses and VR are moving forward... without Samsung
Although it will likely be a long time before smart glasses become useful enough to earn a place in our everyday lives, the industry seems eager to get there. This year kicked off with a slew of announcements at CES, which included a partnership between Microsoft and Qualcomm to make custom chips for AR glasses and a glasses concept from TCL that look like an evolved version of Google Glass. Sony also teased the second-generation PlayStation VR, although it didn't reveal a price or launch date.
We also saw some pretty significant developments in the AR and VR space throughout 2021, perhaps the biggest of which was Facebook's rebranding as Meta. The change reflects its larger goal to expand beyond social networking and focus on building the "metaverse," a blanket term for digital communities which also encompasses AR and VR.
Meta announced its Project Nazaré concept AR smart glasses last year, too, and released its first pair of connected spectacles: Ray-Ban Stories. Those shades don't have AR functionality and are designed primarily for taking hands-free photos, but they could still be a step toward future smart glasses.
Meta is also currently leading the VR market thanks to its popular Oculus VR line. The company accounts for almost 75% of the market for AR and VR headsets, according to the International Data Corporation.
Snapchat parent Snap also debuted in 2021 its first wireless AR spectacles, which can display 3D effects over real surroundings and track hand movements. These glasses aren't available for the general public without an application and are primarily aimed at developers. But Snap has already released three generations of its photo-taking Snapchat Spectacles, a signal that it's serious about wearable tech.
Microsoft, meanwhile, was one of the early players in the AR and VR market with its first HoloLens AR headset back in 2015. It launched the second-generation model in 2019 and added 5G support in 2020.
Apple hasn't released VR or AR eyewear yet, but rumors that it could launch a headset this year are already making waves. The iPhone maker is expected to announce an AR and VR-capable headset mostly geared towards developers in 2022, which could lay the groundwork for a more ambitious pair of consumer-friendly AR glasses in the future, according to Bloomberg. But Apple may delay the headset's debut by several months because of development issues, possibly pushing it to 2023, according to a more recent Bloomberg report.
While we don't know when or if we'll ever see an Apple AR headset, CEO Tim Cook has been vocal about his enthusiasm for augmented reality. He told journalist Kara Swisher in April 2021 that he's seeing AR "take off" when used with phones and that the technology is critical to the company's future. The company has long offered tools for developers to build better AR apps for the iPhone in its ARKit platform, but it recently started building depth-sensing Lidar sensors into certain iPhone and iPad Pro models, too.
Snapchat's AR Spectacles are compact, but they're entirely developer-focused and have a very short battery life.
Scott Stein/CNET
Samsung, meanwhile, hasn't released a new version of its Gear VR headset since 2017. But that doesn't mean it's been completely quiet; the company is seemingly focusing on different executions of AR. At CES 2022, for example, one Samsung concept showed how AR could be incorporated into a car's windshield to display the weather, tire pressure levels, maps and other information. The company also worked with the 3D avatar and social app Zepeto to create a virtual home filled with its products during CES, an effort to prove it's paying attention to the metaverse hype.
Meanwhile, an older Samsung concept from CES 2020 involved pairing AR glasses with an exoskeleton to provide virtual workout experiences. And back in 2017, it showcased a computer glasses concept called Monitorless at Mobile World Congress.
Still, it's been a while since Samsung has made announcements around concrete AR or VR products, while companies like Meta and Snap are moving full steam ahead. But that doesn't mean Samsung isn't thinking about it. Two leaked videos from 2021 suggested Samsung is working on a pair of AR glasses that could project a giant screen before your eyes or place 3D virtual objects in your surroundings.
Samsung said its research team "continues to develop related core technologies for smart devices including AR glasses, next-generation wearables and more" when CNET asked about its plans for AR and VR products. The company also pointed to the website for Samsung's research division, which mentions AR glasses specifically and discusses the technology's potential benefits and industrywide challenges.
"AR glasses are expected by many experts as a next-generation IT device because they have the advantages of large-screen immersiveness compared to smartphones, unfettered freedom of not having to hold it, immediacy of not having to take it out of one's pocket, and a truly private display," Samsung Research's website reads.
Being early has worked to Samsung's advantage
The Galaxy Z Fold 3 has nearly all the refinements you could ask for but still feel like it's missing a purpose.
Patrick Holland/CNET
Samsung isn't usually one to sit on the sidelines when it comes to emerging technologies. It launched its first modern smartwatch, the Galaxy Gear, back in 2013 when the industry was still new and wearables were scarce. Apple didn't launch the first-generation Apple Watch until 2015, by comparison.
The story is similar for other technologies like curved screens and foldable smartphones. Samsung announced the Galaxy Round in 2013, which had dramatic curves along its sides, long before it integrated rounded edges into its more recent Galaxy phones.
Samsung was also among the first major companies to release a smartphone with a foldable screen in 2019 with the Galaxy Z Fold, a phone that's already on its third generation. Years before we had the Galaxy Z Fold or Galaxy Z Flip, Samsung also showcased its flexible display technology prototypes during events. It's still cranking out new concepts, as we saw at CES 2022.
The rest of the industry hasn't quite caught up with Samsung when it comes to foldable phones. Motorola, for example, has launched two versions of its foldable Razr, the last of which debuted in 2020, while Samsung has already released several foldables. Huawei, another early front-runner in the foldable space, only sells its flexible Mate X2 phone in China. Samsung, meanwhile, said it sold four times as many foldable phones in 2021 as it did in 2020.
Being early is a strategy that's paid off for Samsung in the broader smartphone space beyond foldables and in the smartwatch market. Samsung is the global leader in smartphone shipments, according to Counterpoint Research, and the second-largest player in the wearable device market, says the International Data Corporation.
Showing up early has also given Samsung the flexibility to experiment, see what customers respond to and incorporate that feedback into future products. Take the Galaxy Round, Samsung's curved screen phone from 2013, as an example. That phone never caught on, but maybe it wasn't supposed to.
Instead, the Galaxy Round helped pave the way for Samsung's later phone designs with more subtle curves, like the Galaxy S10 series. Samsung's early bet on larger-screened smartphones with the original Galaxy Note in 2011 not only influenced its own direction, but also helped usher in an industry-wide shift to bigger phones. And who knows if we would have the Galaxy Watch 4 without the original Galaxy Gear, which was deemed clunky and expensive nearly 10 years ago.
Smart glasses still face many challenges
Amazon is also trying its hand at smart glasses with the Echo Frames, which provide hands-free Alexa access.
James Martin/CNET
That we haven't heard much from Samsung on the smart glasses front makes me wonder if it'll skip that experimental phase and keep its earlier iterations behind closed doors. Of course, that's if Samsung is working on smart glasses at all, which is a big assumption.
And more broadly, smart glasses face challenges that must be solved before they can become as mainstream as smartphones or smartwatches. Those include improving battery life, phone compatibility and working easily with eyeglass prescriptions.
Does Samsung want to risk entering the market early, or wait out what could be a years-long process? Or could they launch simpler glasses in the meantime, similar to audio glasses from Amazon and Bose? Samsung is clearly thinking about some of these questions, as it says on its research website. What we don't know is when those efforts will materialize into a real product, if at all.
Who knows how long Samsung can afford to wait when companies like Meta and Microsoft are pushing forward. Those tech giants missed out on the smartphone boom for the most part and are seemingly determined to prevent the smart glasses market from becoming yet another two-horse race between Apple and Samsung. But the AR glasses landscape is still conspicuously missing some of the biggest players in the consumer tech space -- Samsung being one of them -- and that absence looms large.
WhatsApp's new camera features let you doodle on pics, video
WhatsApp's new camera features let you doodle on pics, video
WhatsApp on Monday rolled out a host of new camera features for customizing photos and video, including adding the ability to draw on images and support for taking "the perfect selfie."
WhatApp's new camera features let you customize your images.
WhatsApp
One new feature, which should be familiar to anyone who has used Snapchat, adds the ability to add your favorite emoji "to express yourself," the app's makers said in a blog post Monday. The editing tools also let users add text, choosing their own colors and fonts.
Those intent on sharing more of themselves on Facebook's popular messaging app will be drawn to its new support of your phone's front-facing flash, promising a better selfie, be it captured in low light or at night. Video buffs will welcome a new feature that will zoom in and out on your subject while recording video with the swipe up or down of your finger.
The new features began rolling out to Android users on Monday with support for iPhones promised soon.
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Apple Watch Series 5 vs. Fitbit Versa 2: Best smartwatch to give as a gift
Apple Watch Series 5 vs. Fitbit Versa 2: Best smartwatch to give as a gift
The Apple Watch Series 5 starts at $399 (£399, AU$649) and makes an ideal gift for an iPhone user who wants to keep an eye on their health and fitness goals, or get notifications from their phone. But the Fitbit Versa 2 costs half as much and has many similar features, plus it works across Android and iOS. I've been wearing both these watches for a few weeks to determine which one is better at tracking workouts, getting notifications and has the best battery life.
Read more:Best gifts for people who are obsessed with CrossFit
Angela Lang/CNET
A versatile hybrid that's equal parts smartwatch and fitness tracker, the Versa 2 adds a few improvements over the first version that make it a good option for Apple and Android owners alike. Like the Apple Watch, it too has an always-on display, but the battery will last more than twice as long. Expect at least five days between charges if you don't have the always-on display active. It also gives you built-in sleep tracking, Alexa support and Spotify control on your wrist.
Read the Fitbit Versa 2 hands-on.
All-day comfort so you can go from the office to the gym
The Apple Watch comes in two sizes (40mm and 44mm) while the Versa 2 just comes in one size. I have a fairly small wrist and found both of these watches very comfortable to wear all day. With the Versa 2, I hardly had to take it off at all because I could use it to track my sleep.
Want a wide range of finishes and straps to choose from? You'll find the biggest selection with the Apple Watch. Everything from aluminum and stainless steel to the more expensive ceramic and titanium finishes that cost upward of $800. The Versa 2 has three aluminum color finishes with a variety of straps.
Angela Lang/CNET
The Versa 2 gets a much nicer color AMOLED display than the first generation Versa and it's easy to see in bright sunlight when the brightness is turned to max. (The always-on display could be a little brighter for me during outdoor workouts, however.) Notifications and on-screen prompts are clear and legible.
The Apple Watch uses a color LTPO OLED Retina display. It also has Force Touch, so you can press on the screen to register different options.
They're both water-resistant to 50 meters (164 feet) so you can use them to track swims and they'll be fine if subjected to occasional splashes.
Fitbit still makes its straps pretty difficult to swap in and out, as they have tiny toggles, whereas the Apple Watch is simpler with a button to slide the strap in and out. The charging dock for the Versa 2 is also a pain. Not only is it not backward-compatible with older generations of Fitbit watches like the original Versa, the cord doesn't tuck underneath the dock neatly so it's next to impossible to get your watch to lie flat on the dock when it's charging.
Smart features put the Apple Watch a step ahead
If you like customizing the look of your watch face, the Versa 2 has a lot more options to choose from than the Apple Watch, including third-party watch faces. There's even a Bitmoji watch face that changes expressions depending on your activity or time of day (my personal favorite).
Both have an always-on display and, thanks to the latest Fitbit OS 4.1 update, the Versa 2 now gets the option of a color always-on display, like the Apple Watch. But the Apple Watch only makes it through one whole day with a little extra to spare when I have the always-on display active. That's with a 40-minute workout thrown in and regular use throughout the day getting notifications from my phone. The Versa 2 makes it two-and-a-half days with always-on active and the same usage. That goes up to five-and-a-half days when the display is set to raise-to-wake.
The always-on display on the Versa 2.
Angela Lang/CNET
Being smartwatches, both support voice assistants, though they handle that in a different way. With the Versa 2 you get Alexa support to control smart devices, check the weather, start a workout or set reminders. There's no speaker, so you'll have to read the screen to check responses. And it's kind of slow.
With the Apple Watch closely integrated with Siri, you can speak the wake word or hold the button to summon the assistant. You'll be able to hear Siri talk, send text messages, speak responses and do most of what Siri offers on your phone.
Of course, you'll also be able to customize what notifications come through from your phone on both of these watches. However, you will only be able to respond to notifications from the Versa 2 if you're on Android, not iPhone. Both allow you to accept and reject calls from your wrist, regardless of what phone you're tied to, but if you have the Versa 2 you won't be able to take the call on your wrist because there's no speaker -- you'll need to grab your phone.
For me, the biggest advantage that the Apple Watch has over the Versa 2 when it comes to smart features is built-in connectivity, both GPS and cellular, which means you can leave your phone at home and take calls, send messages or stream music on the go when doing an outdoor workout, for example. (It does come at an extra cost, however.) With Emergency SOS you'll also be able to call emergency services from your wrist and share your location, plus alert your emergency contacts. The Apple Watch Series 5 also offers a built-in compass.
Both offer music storage, although it's more complicated to pull across music to the Versa 2 from a computer than it is to use the seamless transfer offered between the iPhone and Apple Watch. You can also pay with your wrist thanks to Fitbit Pay and Apple Pay on the Versa 2 and Apple Watch respectively.
I've been testing the Apple Watch and Versa 2 primarily with an iPhone and definitely feel the Apple Watch was the faster of the two when it comes to syncing and transferring settings. Occasionally, I have noticed integrations with third-party apps such as Spotify and Snapchat for the Bitmoji face require me to log in and sync again through the Fitbit app.
Read about some of the other features offered in WatchOS 6 on the Apple Watch.
Fitness tracking is Fitbit's forte, but Apple has ECG
I have used both of these watches during a number of different workouts (Pilates, indoor spin class, outdoor runs and outdoor bike rides) and have been impressed with the results from both. During my outdoor run, for example, both gave fairly consistent results when it came to tracking my heart rate, although I did find the Apple Watch updated my heart rate slightly faster. I haven't yet tested these watches against the gold standard in consumer heart rate tracking, a chest strap.
The Versa 2, however, can show you what heart rate zone you're in during a workout, such as cardio or fat burn, which I appreciate. Only the Apple Watch offers you on-wrist cadence tracking so you can see your steps per minute, plus pace alerts for running that can notify you if you fall below your chosen pace. You can see your pace on the wrist for the Versa 2, but you won't get alerts.
Both watches can track plenty of different workouts and automatically detect certain activities like running or walking. I find it easier to see and interpret the data from my workouts using the Fitbit app rather than trying to search for it across the Activity app or Health app on iPhone.
Fitbit also offers the Coach app (you'll need to download and sync it across to the watch from the Fitbit app) which puts three free workouts with visual guidance on your wrist. This hasn't changed since the first Versa but it's still a nice touch for those who might not have time for a full workout. You can pay for a Fitbit Premium subscription ($9.99 a month in the US) to get more workouts.
Sleep tracking on the Versa 2.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Sleep tracking is only available natively on the Versa 2 and I really like how Fitbit shows you a breakdown of your different sleep stages, such as REM and deep sleep, plus gives you a sleep score out of 100. Thanks to the latest OS 4.1 update, you can now see your sleep score on the Versa 2 and the watch now has a feature that vibrates to wake you at the optimal time in your sleep cycle (within 30 minutes of your alarm). Fitbit calls this smart wake.
Unfortunately the app won't tell you much about how to improve the sleep score (apart from some standard prompts to go to bed on time) unless you have a Fitbit Premium subscription which has more advanced sleep tools and analysis.
I also found that there was sometimes a variance between how I felt and the sleep score: For example, one night I got 8.5 hours of rest and felt great in the morning, but my sleep score was in the low 60s. The sleep score does take into account your restoration, which is sleeping heart rate and how much you toss and turn during the night. (Maybe I'm an overly active sleeper, because my restoration score showed a lot of restlessness.)
The Apple Watch helps you keep tabs on your daily activity using a ring-based system, which hasn't changed since the first generation. On the Versa 2 you can find your daily metrics in the Today section by swiping down from the main screen.
As for health and heart tracking in particular, the Apple Watch Series 5 pulls ahead. With a built-in ECG (electrocardiogram) that's FDA-cleared, the watch can also detect high, low and irregular heart rates and notify you accordingly. It also has fall detection. Both watches offer menstrual cycle tracking, although you can't log details on the Versa 2 like you can on the Apple Watch. Instead, you'll need to do that in the Fitbit app.
Which one's right for me?
Considering the Versa 2 costs half as much as the Apple Watch Series 5, if money is your concern, then this is the watch for you. Especially because it works across Android and iOS. It also has a wide range of activities that it can track and the Fitbit app makes it really easy to see your fitness metrics.
For runners, or those who want to leave their phone at home and stream music on the go, make calls or send messages, the Apple Watch with built-in LTE is the clear choice. It also has the benefit of ECG in certain countries.
Also, now that Apple has reduced the entry price of the Apple Watch Series 3 (which also has GPS and an LTE option) to $200, it's another good option for Apple users who want the tightest integration with an iPhone.