Comparing the potential benefits of one fitness device to another can be difficult when the market is so saturated, and companies work hard to stand out from the competition. For Philips, that means medical devices instead of fitness devices. The new suite of health devices that Philips launched today, including the Philips Health Watch, targets people who have or risk developing chronic conditions such as hypertension. In addition to the watch, Philips has a smart scale, a thermometer, and two blood pressure monitors as part of its family of medical-grade consumer devices.

With its simple black frame and Gorilla Glass-covered display, the Philips Health Watch isn't trying to be flashy or make a fashion statement. The watchface itself isn't a touchscreen, but the bezel around it is, so you swipe and tap on the circumference of the watch to change the display. A bunch of quick views shows you stats like steps, calories burned, active time, and so forth, and tapping the top lets you access a detailed menu full of in-depth stats. You can even input what foods you've eaten directly into the watch, which means you don't have to log every meal and snack through your phone.

Inside the $250 watch is a Philips-developed continuous optical heart rate monitor, as well as an accelerometer. In addition to basic metrics like steps, calories, and heart rate, this sensor also tracks resting heart rate, resting respiration rate, active time, sedentary time, and sleep. Even though the Health Watch is not a fitness device, it can automatically track running, walking, and biking so you don't have to manually start tracking those exercises. The watch's heart rate monitor is smart enough to know when your heart rate is consistently high, so it will register when you're doing other kinds of workouts as well.

Philips

Philips

Philips

Philips

Philips

The Philips Health Watch, smart scale, smart thermometer, and upper-arm and wrist blood pressure monitors are meant to be used together with the accompanying HealthSuite Health app. Philips hopes that by making the app as personalized and engaging as possible, people will be more likely to adhere to the new routines they develop while using these devices. Adherence is an issue, not just in traditional medicine but with wearable fitness devices, too. A 2014 study found that one-third of wearable users abandon their devices after six months. That statistic doesn't necessarily mean that those devices don't work as advertised, but rather it shows that old habits die hard. As with diet crazes, some people start using wearable fitness devices with the best of intentions—to eat better, move more, or lose weight—but after a few months, they fall back into bad habits.

In an attempt to beat this cycle, Philips brought in clinical scientists and behavior change psychologists to help make the app. In addition to insight and tip cards that appear over time as you log more information through the smart devices, the app initially asks you to name a health goal you have when signing up. Depending on what you choose, the dashboard will change to fit that goal so that the most important stats for you are always at the forefront. Personalized dashboards and apps aren't a new concept, but the insight of behavioral psychologists might give Philips' app an edge over other fitness tracker apps that try to do the same thing.

Philips

Philips

Philips

That Philips knows that abandonment of these devices is an issue is a step in the right direction. Aside from attempting a better app experience, Philips also made its health devices medical-grade. They're all listed with the FDA and have been put through lab tests to ensure accuracy.

That being said, Philips did just add to the overflowing pool of wearables and health devices people have to choose from. While the company has set itself apart by ignoring aesthetics and fancy-but-useless tracking features in order to focus on users with chronic diseases, convincing people to invest in a system of products is harder than convincing them to buy a single device. While Philips acknowledges that not everyone will want to shell out the nearly $600 that it costs to purchase the entire Philips Health system, the company is hoping that people will gravitate toward one or two devices that speak to their needs. Someone with weight problems may want to invest in the watch and the scale, while hypertension sufferers may start with the upper-arm blood pressure monitor before including another device into their daily routine. All of Philips' new health devices, including the Health Watch, are available today on Philips' website, and they eventually may be available through other outlets like brick-and-mortar stores and workplace health programs.