Which smartwatches work best with an iPhone?

All five watches work with an iPhone, but Apple Watch Series 12 is the clear choice if you want notifications, calls, payments and apps to feel like extensions of your phone. Choose Garmin Fenix 9, Huawei Watch GT 7, Amazfit Balance 3 or ScanWatch 2 when training, battery life or traditional styling matters more.

At a glance

Apple Watch Series 12 gives you the deepest iPhone integration, while the other four watches make more sense when training endurance, battery life, display brightness or discreet styling has greater value.

Watch	Best for	Deciding spec	Built-in GPS	Case material
Apple Watch Series 12	iPhone owners	iPhone 11 or later	Yes	Aluminium, titanium or ceramic
Garmin Fenix 9	Multisport training	Up to 29 days	Yes	Titanium bezel
Huawei Watch GT 7	Bright AMOLED display	3000 nits	Yes	Stainless steel
Amazfit Balance 3	GPS training battery	Up to 21 days	Yes	Grade 5 titanium or stainless steel
Withings ScanWatch 2	Hybrid health tracking	Up to 35 days	No	Stainless steel

The deciding issue is simple: do you need to act on calls, messages, payments and apps from your wrist, or is seeing information from your iPhone enough?

Best iPhone extension - 1. Apple Watch Series 12

Apple Watch Series 12 is the best choice when you want your watch and iPhone to operate as one connected setup.

It supports notification actions, calls and texts, Apple Pay, the App Store and Apple Health. That combination matters during a commute, workout or busy shift: you can deal with a useful alert from your wrist instead of merely seeing that something happened on your phone.

Compatibility is stricter than simply owning an iPhone. You need an iPhone 11 or later running iOS 27 or later. If your handset falls short of either requirement, this is not the watch to choose until you also change or update the phone.

Battery life is the compromise. Apple rates the watch for up to 24 hours in general use and up to 10 hours of GPS workout tracking. That is sufficient for everyday runs, rides and gym sessions, but long-distance athletes have a much stronger reason to consider Amazfit or Garmin.

Choose it if: replying, taking calls, paying and using wrist apps are central to how you want a smartwatch to work.
Think twice if: you regularly record GPS activities lasting most of a day.
Case choice: 42mm or 46mm, with aluminium, titanium and ceramic versions available.

At the time of writing, Apple Watch 12 was listed at £369 for the 42mm case and £419 for the 46mm case.

There is plenty of scope to change how it feels on your wrist: silicone, nylon, leather, Milanese and metal Apple Watch 12 straps are available. Silicone is practical for sweat and rain, while nylon gives you a softer everyday fit.

Best for multisport training - 2. Garmin Fenix 9

Garmin Fenix 9 is the strongest fit for iPhone users who place multisport training and long battery life ahead of Apple-style wrist interaction.

It has built-in GPS, an AMOLED display and battery life of up to 29 days. In practice, that makes charging a less frequent interruption to a training routine. Apple Health sync is supported, so your Garmin activity data does not have to live entirely apart from the health information on your iPhone.

Its phone feature is listed as Phone Assistant, but full notification actions, wallet access and GPS workout duration were not established in the supplied specifications. Do not choose it on the assumption that it will reproduce everything an Apple Watch can do with an iPhone. Its case rests on sport and endurance instead.

Fit is worth considering because the range covers 43mm, 47mm and 51mm cases. The corresponding watch weights also rise with size, so trying the larger versions before committing is sensible if you have a smaller wrist. The AMOLED display comes in 1.3-inch and 1.4-inch sizes, giving you a bright, glanceable view during training.

Choose it if: you train across several sports and dislike frequent charging.
Think twice if: interactive iPhone notifications and a broad wrist-app experience are your priority.
Water resistance: 40 metres.

At the time of writing, Garmin Fenix 9 was listed at £859.99 for the 43mm case, £859.99 for the 47mm case and £999.99 for the 51mm case.

Silicone, nylon, leather, Milanese and metal options are available across the range. You can browse Garmin Fenix 9 - 43mm straps, Garmin Fenix 9 - 47mm straps or Garmin Fenix 9 - 51mm straps for the case you own.

Best bright display - 3. Huawei Watch GT 7

Huawei Watch GT 7 suits an iPhone owner who wants a bright AMOLED screen and a more watch-like stainless-steel case without paying for Apple-level integration.

Its display reaches 3000 nits, which is the useful figure here: workout data and notifications should remain much easier to read in strong daylight than on a dim display. You can choose a 1.32-inch screen in the 41mm case or a 1.47-inch screen in the 46mm version.

The watch pairs with iOS 13.0 or later. It can show iPhone notifications and handle calls, but notification actions are not supported through iOS. That makes it better for checking what needs your attention than clearing a conversation from your wrist.

Built-in GPS supports phone-free route recording. A quantified GPS workout duration was not established, though, so endurance athletes comparing it with the Amazfit Balance 3 should not assume the two watches will last equally long while tracking.

Choose it if: outdoor screen visibility and stainless-steel styling matter more than interactive alerts.
Think twice if: message handling from your wrist is a core reason for buying a smartwatch.
Fit: both case choices use 22mm quick-release straps, making a strap change straightforward.

At the time of writing, Huawei Watch GT 7 was listed at £279.99 for the 41mm case and £279.99 for the 46mm case.

Silicone, nylon, leather, Milanese and metal are available for both sizes. See Huawei Watch GT 7 - 41mm straps or Huawei Watch GT 7 - 46mm straps, depending on your case.

Best GPS training battery - 4. Amazfit Balance 3

Amazfit Balance 3 is the practical pick when long GPS sessions matter more than complete control of your iPhone from your wrist.

It offers up to 41 hours of GPS workout tracking, the clearest actionable advantage in this comparison for long walks, rides, races and weekends away from a charger. General battery life reaches up to 21 days, and activity data can sync with Apple Health.

The 1.5-inch AMOLED screen reaches up to 3,000 nits, so maps, workout fields and alerts remain legible in bright conditions. Built-in GPS lets you record a session without depending on the phone for positioning.

Bluetooth calls are supported, but Android gets the clearly specified quick-reply feature. Interactive iPhone actions should not be treated as equivalent to the dependable notification controls on Apple Watch Series 12.

Choose it if: you need the longest established GPS workout figure in this shortlist.
Think twice if: acting on every type of iPhone notification is more important than battery endurance.
Fit: it takes 22mm quick-release straps, a widely used fitting that is easy to swap between training and everyday wear.

At the time of writing, Amazfit Balance 3 was listed at £369.90.

Silicone, nylon, leather, Milanese and metal Amazfit Balance 3 straps are available. A washable silicone strap suits regular training; leather or Milanese changes the same watch into a smarter option for work.

Best traditional watch feel - 5. Withings ScanWatch 2

Withings ScanWatch 2 is the best fit if you want hybrid health tracking and long battery life in a watch that does not feel like a small touchscreen computer.

Its stainless-steel case and restrained grayscale OLED display put the traditional-watch feel first. Battery life reaches up to 35 days, comfortably reducing charging interruptions, and Apple Health sync keeps its health data useful alongside information recorded on your iPhone.

The trade-off is substantial if you expect wrist-based phone control. ScanWatch 2 shows call and text notifications, but it does not offer notification actions or third-party apps. It also lacks built-in GPS, so it is not the natural choice for someone who wants independent route recording.

You need iOS 18 or higher to pair it. Cases are available in 38mm and 42mm, giving smaller wrists a more compact option than several sport-focused watches in this list.

Choose it if: health tracking, discreet notifications and infrequent charging are enough.
Think twice if: you want apps, notification actions or built-in GPS.
Fit: it uses 20mm quick-release straps, so changing from a light daily strap to a smarter metal one takes little effort.

At the time of writing, Withings ScanWatch 2 was listed at £319.95 for the 38mm case and £319 for the 42mm case.

Silicone, nylon, leather, Milanese and metal options are available for both cases. Match your watch with Withings Scanwatch 2 - 38mm straps or Withings Scanwatch 2 - 42mm straps.

How to choose an iPhone-compatible smartwatch

Choose according to what you need to do from your wrist, then check phone compatibility, battery endurance and physical fit.

If you regularly act on messages, take calls, pay and use apps: Apple Watch Series 12 is the straightforward answer because its iPhone integration is the point, not a secondary feature.
If you train across several sports: Garmin Fenix 9 gives battery life and a rugged range of case sizes greater priority than phone-like interaction.
If you exercise outdoors in bright light: Huawei Watch GT 7 and Amazfit Balance 3 both publish very bright AMOLED display figures.
If you record very long GPS sessions: Amazfit Balance 3 has the strongest established workout figure here at up to 41 hours.
If you want a watch rather than a screen on your wrist: Withings ScanWatch 2 makes the cleanest compromise, provided notifications and health tracking are enough.
If you have a smaller wrist: compare the compact Apple, Garmin, Huawei and Withings case options before choosing a large training watch.
If straps influence comfort: Huawei Watch GT 7 and Amazfit Balance 3 use 22mm quick-release fittings, while Withings ScanWatch 2 uses 20mm quick-release straps. That gives you clear, measurable fitment rather than relying on a strap that merely looks compatible.

The best non-Apple option therefore depends on what you are willing to trade: Garmin for multisport focus, Huawei for display brightness, Amazfit for GPS endurance or Withings for traditional styling.

What iPhone features do you give up with a non-Apple watch?

You mainly give up the depth and certainty of acting on your iPhone from your wrist rather than the basic ability to receive information.

Apple Watch Series 12 has the established combination of notification actions, calls, texts, Apple Pay and App Store access. The alternatives can still deliver useful alerts and selected call features, but their response options vary. Withings explicitly has no third-party apps, while Garmin’s supplied details do not establish equivalent wallet or app access.

This distinction matters more than the badge on the case. If glancing at a notification is enough, longer battery life or a more conventional design may improve your daily experience. If you expect to finish the task without reaching for your iPhone, Apple Watch Series 12 remains the clear pick.