Amazfit is poised to embark on a new chapter in the Indian fitness market, offering more competitive health tracking at an unbeatable price, following the launch of the Balance 2 watch and the Helio Strap band.
Looking back, Huami, later known as Zepp Health (the parent company of Amazfit), played a pivotal role in helping Xiaomi establish its early presence in the Indian smartwatch market a decade ago. With each passing year, it eventually started gaining recognition for its incredible health monitoring system in its products. Another driving force behind its success in India was that it offered an enticing package at a price that people from every walk of life could afford.
Now, the brand has rolled up its sleeves and built two new fitness trackers, intending to display its expertise in full force.
The first on this list is the Balance 2 watch. Priced at Rs 24,999, it has been conceived to offer a blend of everyday fashion and advanced health tracking.
As it is geared towards dedicated fitness enthusiasts, Amazfit has made it military grade certified. This way, whether an individual uses this watch to monitor performance in a marathon, measure their heartbeat while scaling a mountain, or record the fastest lap in swimming, they won't face a moment of worry doing it. On top of this, its entire display is armoured with Sapphire Glass, enhancing overall durability. It also comes with 10ATM water resistance, making it resilient enough to handle extreme sports like freediving without worry.
Speaking of health monitoring, this watch can track detailed metrics for over 170 sports, including HYROX. Additionally, it features Dual-band GPS, allowing athletes to track their location accurately during outdoor activities. Its display can reach 2000 nits; the sun's rays won't hinder outdoor visibility.
The Balance 2 smartwatch boasts two built-in speakers, allowing users to make calls on the go or enjoy music even when they forget their headphones. With 32GB of onboard memory, people can store multiple maps and songs on it.
What we think of the Amazefit Balance 2?
Although the Balance 2 watch appears to be an exciting package, its appeal is at risk of declining due to a particular factor that becomes increasingly important the moment a smartwatch's price exceeds Rs 18,000. I say this because these products, worth over Rs 18,000, generally run on Wear OS or Apple WatchOS. With these two operating systems, people can install mobile-like applications on digital wrist watches and stay connected to the world without carrying their bulky smartphones. The Balance 2 watch, with its Zepp OS, supports downloading applications. However, its catalogue is limited compared to its rivals, including the OnePlus Watch 2 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7.
This limitation wouldn't matter much if the Balance Watch 2 were competing in Amazfit's usual ₹10,000 bracket. But at ₹24,000, the expectations shift to premium-level performance, and that's where Zepp OS feels out of place. Despite solid hardware, the software still comes across as undercooked, missing the fluidity, app ecosystem, and user experience that brands like Apple, Samsung, or Garmin deliver in this range. Unless Zepp OS matures significantly, the Balance Watch 2 risks being overshadowed by its competition.
What stands apart, however, is the all-new Amazfit Helio Strap, which instantly feels like excellent value. It's a smart fitness band that nails the essentials, offering precise tracking across 27+ sports and delivering reliable 24/7 heart-rate monitoring. With a clear purpose and practical features, the Helio Strap makes a stronger case for itself.
However, what makes it truly special is the way Amazfit has priced it, as well as its accompanying service. The Helio Strap will cost an exercise enthusiast ₹8,999, and notably, it doesn't come with any subscription model. With this strategy, the brand has successfully undercut the biggest player in the fitness band industry, WHOOP, and looks well-positioned to capture a share of its market.
This contrast becomes even clearer when you consider how WHOOP charges hefty monthly fees just to let users track every parameter of their sport in detail. That recurring cost creates a significant barrier for many fitness enthusiasts who want to measure and improve their performance but can't justify the spend. By keeping the Helio Strap's pricing straightforward and accessible, Amazfit has a real chance to position itself as the more inclusive option for such users.
