Huawei has unveiled two new fitness bands: the Band 11 and Band 11 Pro, both now available in South Africa. The Chinese tech giant is pitching them as versatile health companions for everyday users and athletes alike.

The Band 11 Pro is the headline model of the two, retailing from R1 299 in Green, Blue and Black. Constructed from aluminium alloy and measuring 8.99 mm thick and weighing 18 grams, Huawei says the slim profile was designed with all-day comfort in mind.

Importantly, Huawei now offers “Autonomous GNSS Positioning” – basically GPS with more satellite networks included – a feature never seen in the Band range. The company notes this enables lighter and more precise tracking during workouts, which is a significant improvement for those looking for a smart band that’s not dependent on a smartphone for positioning, especially at this price point. Unfortunately, it’s not available on the regular Band 11.

The Huawei Band 11 Pro

For those who wanted a larger display, Huawei notes the new model now includes a 1.62-inch screen (up from 1.47-inches on the Band 10) offering 27% more viewing area than the previous generation. Also improved is the display peak brightness at 2 000 nits, now more than four times that of its predecessor, which makes it significantly easier to read in direct sunlight.

Runners are further targeted with the Pro model introducing wrist-based posture monitoring. Using a built-in motion sensor, the band tracks metrics such as ground contact time and vertical oscillation in real time, with the aim of helping users improve their technique and to avoid injury.

The Band 11 Pro also arrives with a notable accessibility addition: a dedicated Wheelchair Mode, which replaces conventional activity metrics like step counts and active hours with energy consumption algorithms calibrated specifically for wheelchair users, according to Huawei.

The Huawei Band 11 

For those looking for a cheaper solution, the Huawei Band 11 comes to the market at just under R1k. The standard Band 11 is available in either a durable polymer (plastic) or an aluminium alloy case, depending on the specific colour variant chosen. While it contains a similar sized AMOLED display as the Pro, it drops in peak brightness (1,500 nits), also missing the micro-curved finishing.

Both devices lean heavily on health-tracking features. Sleep monitoring has been expanded to cover daytime naps, while a breathing awareness function flags potential disruptions during rest. On the emotional side, the bands now support 12 mood categories, drawing on stress data to offer a more detailed picture of a user's mental state throughout the day.

Both devices are compatible with Android and iOS smartphones and include practical utilities such as a calendar, compass, calculator and a remote camera shutter.

The Huawei Band 11 Series will be available at selected retailers, Huawei Experience Stores, and the Huawei Online Store. The Huawei Band 11 is available from R999 and comes in Beige, Green, White, Purple and Black. We would recommend going for the Huawei Band 11 Pro if you can add R300, available from R1 299 in Green, Blue and Black.