New Emporio Armani and Diesel smartwatches can check your heart rate

Both Emporio Armani and Diesel have announced new smartwatches which include features that were missing from the first generation of products.

There's a new watch just called the new Emporio Armani Connected 2018, while the upgrade for the other brand is the Diesel On Full Guard 2.5.

Both new devices come with very similar upgrades. Unlike the first generation of each product these new watches come with a heart rate tracker, NFC for Google Pay compatibility and GPS tracking to keep an eye on your location when out exercising.

Each watch also comes running Wear OS, which is a re-branding of Android Wear 2.0 software, but Google should be bringing some new features to the software in the near future too. These watches will work with your iPhone if its running iOS 9.3 or above, while Android users will need Android 4.4 or above.

There's also Google Assistant built-in, so you'll be able to ask questions directly on your wrist. Each watch is running the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 chipset, which is the same tech that was powering the first generation of each brand's watch.

Each watch is waterproof too, so you'll be able to take these in a pool to track your lengths with third-party Wear OS apps.

Embracing Wear OS

The two watches differ a lot when it comes to design. The new Emporio Armani Connected has a stainless steel case that's either paired with a mono-link bracelet or a leather strap depending on which one you want to buy. The case is 43 x 49mm, while the lugs are 20mm thick.

Diesel's On Full Guard 2.5 comes in four different styles. You have the choice of a matt steel case with a black leather strap, a gunmetal steel case with a brown leather strap, a matt black steel case with a black silicone strap or a gunmetal stainless steel case with a three-link bracelet.

The photos throughout this article are all of the Emporio Armani Connected 2018, as we don't yet have any photos of the Diesel On Full Guard 2.5.

As for the release date, you'll have to wait until October 2018 to be able to buy the Diesel On Full Guard 2.5. The exact markets where you'll be able to buy (or for how much) haven't yet been made clear.

Meanwhile, the Emporio Armani Connected is set to go on sale in some countries before the end of July. Pricing starts at $295 (about £225, AU$400) while the most expensive version is $395 (about £300, AU$530).