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The best Android smartwatches seamlessly integrate with Android phones to act as a dynamic extension of that device. They send calls, email, app, and text notifications, are easy to navigate, and offer various health and fitness tracking tools.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is our top pick among the best Android smartwatches. Although it works best with a Samsung phone, this rugged wearable still offers the finest combined Android smartwatch and fitness tracker experience with a range of trackable activities, an intuitive interface, and multi-day battery life. For a budget pick, we like the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4. It has similar features as the Watch 5 Pro but costs far less.

Our top picks for the best Android smartwatches

Best overall: Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro – See at Amazon

Best Fitbit: Fitbit Sense 2 – See at Amazon

Best for Pixel users: Google Pixel Watch 2 – See at Amazon

Best with bezel: Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic – See at Amazon

Best budget: Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 – See at Best Buy

Best battery life: Fitbit Inspire 3 – See at Amazon

Best for runners: Garmin Forerunner 745 – See at Amazon

Best for outdoor adventures: Garmin Forerunner 935 – See at Walmart

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Best overall

With a price drop, the previous-generation Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is still the best Android smartwatch, even when the Galaxy Watch 6 is available. With multi-day battery life, accurate activity tracking, and unique insights such as body composition data and sleep analysis, it's the perfect combination of a smartwatch and a health and fitness tracker for the Android user — more so than the Galaxy Watch 6 series.

Design-wise, the titanium Watch 5 Pro has a round watch face and a 1.36-inch touchscreen display that offers tons of viewable data. With the right watch face, you could have everything from the week's upcoming weather forecast and the sunrise/sunset schedule to your daily steps, burned calories, and workout shortcuts displayed. It's also compatible with a variety of the best Samsung Galaxy Watch bands.

As a smartwatch, the Watch 5 Pro is excellent. It uses Google's WearOS operating system, which functions seamlessly. It gets app notifications, text alerts, emails, and phone calls and is easy to navigate. 

Fitness-focused folks will appreciate the variety of activities it tracks, including common things like running and cycling, as well as advanced sports like snowboarding, hiking, or trail running. It even has a useful track-back option that works like a digital breadcrumb, showing your exact route through a forested area. However, this only works with hiking and cycling, which is disappointing as it'd be great for runners, too. 

One of the Watch 5 Pro's best features is its health tracking. It has everything from in-depth sleep tracking, which monitors sleep patterns and habits, to a body composition app that charts body fat percentage and muscle mass. 

There is one minor caveat: some features, like the ECG app that tracks heart rhythms, aren't compatible with anything other than a Samsung phone, making the watch's overall experience better on a Samsung phone than on something like the Google Pixel. It's not a dealbreaker, but it's something worth considering if you don't own a Samsung phone. 

Despite those issues, Samsung's Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is the best Android smartwatch for almost any user. It excels as a smartwatch, has robust fitness-tracking capability, and offers unique health insights. This is as good as it gets on Android.  

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro review.

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Best Fitbit

Fitbit's Sense 2 is everything you want in a dependable fitness tracker. It's compatible with several trackable activities, provides unique insights into your fitness habits, monitors your sleep, stress, and menstrual cycles, and has a built-in GPS. It even has a battery that lasts upward of five to six days.

We found it to be one of the most accurate fitness trackers we've worn, specifically how quickly it synced its GPS before an activity. Within seconds, the watch found a GPS signal, and we were ready to start tracking our activity. It also has an interface that's easy to navigate, which is especially helpful for first-time Fitbit wearers or those new to fitness trackers.

The Sense 2 has several helpful health and wellness tools, too. This includes a skin temperature sensor, heart rhythm (ECG) readings, and Fitbit's new real-time stress tracker. Stress tracking was especially interesting during our tests as we liked how well it charted our stress levels while offering useful feedback on ways to lower them. 

One area where the Sense 2 doesn't impress is its smartwatch capability in its price range. It's technically one of Fitbit's "smartwatches," but it doesn't exactly live up to that billing. For instance, there's no third-party app support available, which is a frustrating decision by Fitbit. 

And bafflingly, it doesn't support Google Assistant like the original Sense did, which is confounding since Google is the parent company. Oddly, the Sense 2 supports Amazon's Alexa instead. 

Still, overall, the Sense 2 is an adequate smartwatch that still gets notifications like calls, texts, and emails, but its strengths lie in its health and fitness tracking. For those looking for a fitness-first smartwatch, the Sense 2 is the best Android smartwatch to buy (and one of the best Fitbits overall).  

Read our full Fitbit Sense 2 review.

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Best for Pixel users

Google addressed several of the original Pixel Watch's shortcomings with the Pixel Watch 2, and it's easily the best smartwatch for Pixel users. The Pixel Watch 2 not only excels in being a smartwatch, but Google's improvements make its current smartwatch a suitable option for fitness tracking and health monitoring, unlike the original. 

Its operating system, WearOS, delivers a seamless experience between the available apps you can access, whatever notifications you might receive, and its smart features like Google Assistant, Google Maps, and Google Wallet. These features allow it to satisfy the one major requirement of a smartwatch: to be an effective extension of your smartphone. Plus, it's compatible with a variety of the best Google Pixel Watch bands, so it can fit anyone's style.

The Pixel Watch 2's GPS is accurate for fitness tracking, and you get a solid range of health and fitness features, like sleep tracking, all-day heart-rate monitoring, stress monitoring, and ECG readings. New skin temperature sensors and an updated heart rate sensor contribute to unique sleep quality insights. 

Unlike the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro or other Samsung smartwatches, the Pixel Watch 2 makes its features available to all, no matter which Android phone you use. However, some features like advanced sleep data, advanced stress management tools, and Fitbit's unique Daily Readiness feature are behind Fitbit's Premium $10/month subscription service. A six-month free trial of Fitbit Premium when you buy the Pixel Watch 2 lets you decide whether it's worth keeping.

Read our full Google Pixel Watch 2 review.

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Best with bezel

Samsung's latest Galaxy Watch, the Watch 6 Classic, retains the high bar set by previous generations, even if it doesn't push the line forward in any major way. But despite its minimal new additions, the experience of using the Watch 6 Classic is still a highly premium one, making it not just one of the best Android smartwatches you can buy but one of the best smartwatches, too.

The most notable update on the Watch 6 Classic is the return of the rotating bezel, a feature last seen on the Watch 4 series. Instead of relying on the watch's touchscreen to scroll its interface, the rotating bezel allows easy navigation. I found it to be especially useful while working out where spinning the dial was more manageable and quicker than trying to swipe the screen.

The Watch 6 Classic also has impressive battery life that I consistently got almost two days out of, depending on how often I used the built-in GPS for workouts. I always got a full day and night of battery, though sometimes I needed to recharge the watch the following afternoon. This is a welcome upgrade over the Watch 5, though it is still a bit shorter than the multi-day battery life of the Watch 5 Pro.

Beyond those upgrades, the Watch 6 Classic is highly similar to the Watch 5 generation before it. It has a large catalog of health and wellness features, including sleep tracking, a body composition analyzer, and stress level monitoring.

The two health features I used most were the body composition analyzer and the stress tracker. With the body composition analyzer, the watch provided real-time readings of my body fat percentage, BMI, and muscle mass, which I used to chart my overall fitness progress. The Watch 5 Pro also offered this, so I had a baseline of knowledge (and existing data) to compare to, and it functioned the same.

I found the stress tracker to be a helpful feature, too, mainly because it's interesting to see when the watch would say I had higher stress levels and when I didn't. This positively impacted my day-to-day life as I would implement some of the recommendations for lowering my stress and found them effective.

The Watch 6 Classic does severely lack as a fitness tracker, though, and its inaccurate GPS makes it difficult to recommend to more active users. Not only would it take upwards of a minute to sync a GPS connection, but its distance- and pace-tracking were off by significant margins. Those looking for a quality fitness tracker experience should instead opt for the Watch 5 Pro, which is a key reason it's still the top pick for Android users overall.

Design-wise, the Watch 6 Classic is a stylish smartwatch that I thoroughly enjoyed wearing. Its big watch face might be too large for folks with smaller wrists, but I liked how much data I could display on it. Its bright watch face makes it easy to quickly reference the screen or tell the time.

Overall, it looks, feels, and functions like a premium wearable, and while it may not satisfy those looking for a reliable fitness tracker, it's an excellent smartwatch. Its compatibility with a variety of the best Samsung Galaxy Watch bands is a nice feature, too.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic review.

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Best budget

When we first reviewed the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, we couldn't help notice that it was the closest thing to an Apple Watch for Android users. Two years later, that sentiment goes to the next generation Watch 5 Pro but the Watch 4 is still an impressive wearable — only now, it costs far less than when it was released. 

The release of the Galaxy Watch 4 was Samsung's first go with utilizing WearOS as the watch's operating system, as it decided to go away from the in-house interface, Tizen OS. The switch paid off in spades as WearOS pairs perfectly with the Watch 4. Navigation is fluid, notifications can be fully customized, and there's a wide selection of downloadable apps (thanks to Google Play Store access). 

Other highlights of the watch include its extensive health and fitness capability. It tracks activities like running, cycling, and hiking, and we found the syncing and tracking capability to be on par with some of the best fitness trackers. 

We especially like its in-depth sleep tracking, which monitors sleep patterns and can help turn bad habits into good ones. Its body measurement features are also unique as it analyzes your body weight, muscle mass, and water weight to give you an idea of your overall body composition. 

All of this equates to the Watch 4 being one of the best Android smartwatches. Of course, there are still a few drawbacks, most notable of which is its watered-down experience on anything other than a Samsung phone, as some features, like the ECG app, aren't available. We don't see this as a total dealbreaker, but users of other phones, like the Google Pixel, should consider this before purchasing. 

Often available for under $200, the Watch 4 isn't just at its lowest price since it was released, but it's the cheapest we've seen a smartwatch of this quality. You rarely find a premium full-featured wearable in this price range. 

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 review.

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Best battery life

Fitbit's Inspire 3 is one of the brand's most basic and affordable wearables, but it's still an impressive activity tracker for Android users (and one of the best Fitbits you can buy). It offers a range of health and fitness tracking insights, a no-frills interface, and advanced features like skin temperature sensing and in-depth sleep tracking. 

But what makes the Inspire 3 such a great tracker is how anyone from beginners to expert users will be satisfied using it. Navigating the watch is intuitive enough for first-time wearers, while the wide variety of trackable activities and useful health metrics give it appeal to those familiar with fitness trackers. It's also compatible with a range of the best Fitbit Inspire 3 bands, so users have even more ways to customize their wearable.

At less than $100, it's a hell of a bargain, too. What's especially great about its low price is that the Inspire 3 is the latest generation of the Inspire line, meaning it's the most current and updated version yet.

The watch does come with a few drawbacks, though. Absent is built-in GPS and the ability to download additional apps. Although the lack of apps isn't a huge downside, not having GPS is, especially for hardcore athletes who want exact timing and activity tracking. Our tests found that the tracking worked well when you sync GPS via a companion phone. But that means you do have to tote your phone along.

Those cons aside, the Inspire 3 is still a powerful activity tracker in a small, budget-friendly form factor. For Android users looking for something basic, trying out a fitness tracker for the first time, or who just want something straightforward and easy to use, the Inspire 3 is the best Android smartwatch on the market. 

Read our full Fitbit Inspire 3 review.

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Best for runners

The Garmin Forerunner 745 isn't just the best running watch for Android users; it also happens to be one of the best running watches, period. It's that good. Garmin's made its name on manufacturing powerful sports wearables, and the 745 is the latest in a long line of triumphs from the brand. 

What makes the 745 so good is its accurate tracking capabilities and easy-to-navigate interface, and it stands out from the competition with its unique approach to workout recommendations and focus on rest and recovery, two vital aspects of an effective workout routine. 

For the workout recommendations, the watch requires a 10-day monitoring period to assess your day-to-day activity and performance. Once those 10 days are up, it adapts its recommendations to your specific activity needs. One day, it might have you pump up the mileage and go for a several-mile long run, while another may see that you need more rest and dial the day's workout down to a recovery jog. 

Whatever it recommends, it does so in lockstep with its rest and recovery insights. In other words, the watch isn't just going to run you into the ground but rather, it takes a thoughtful approach to giving your body the time to properly recover between strenuous workouts. 

The 745 feels like having a personal trainer right on your wrist with all these features active. Of course, you don't have to do the daily workouts, but they do prove worthwhile for anyone stumped about what to do on a certain day or those who want to take the guesswork out of how to train for a race or event. 

Other highlights of the 745 include a comfortable, lightweight design that won't weigh heavy on your wrist, even during long runs, as well as a large, colorful display. The big display does tend to look rather large on folks with smaller wrists, but it's especially useful in the middle of a run to easily see your training stats without having to squint or stop running. 

Then there's the battery life, which Garmin claims lasts up to six days on a single charge. We found this to be mostly true during our tests, as it would last a little longer and a little shorter than that estimation, depending on how heavily we used it daily. 

For consistent runners, the Garmin Forerunner 745 is the best Android smartwatch to buy. 

Read our full Garmin Forerunner 745 review.

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Best for outdoors

Like the Forerunner 745 above, the Forerunner 935 is one of Garmin's best wearables. And for the outdoorsy Android user, it's the best.

The 935 is compatible with a wide range of trackable outdoor activities such as hiking, trail running, skiing, and snowboarding, to name a few, and can track your trips via its accurate built-in GPS (which is a must-have for those venturing into the backcountry). 

Although the watch itself is on the medium to large end of the wearable spectrum, it's incredibly lightweight and comes with a comfortable rubber band. The watch's face features tempered, scratch-resistant glass and a durable, stainless steel bezel. 

But where the watch truly shines is how Garmin's interface functions with the activities it tracks. The tracking screens show everything from heart rate and distance traveled to training status, heart rate variability, and total training load. In other words, you have everything you'd ever need right there on your wrist. 

We did have one nitpick with the watch: its battery doesn't last much longer than a single day, especially if you're relying on GPS and heart rate tracking for long periods. This isn't an issue for those who return home each night, but this could pose a problem for anyone out on a backpacking trip or who forgot their charger. 

Still, the Forerunner 935 is a full-featured watch that's the best Android smartwatch for outdoor enthusiasts. 

Read our full Garmin Forerunner 935 review.

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How we test Android smartwatches

To compile this guide, we compared the best Android smartwatches across various categories, including fit & comfort, features, battery life, ease of use, accuracy, and compatibility. Here's how each category factored into which watches made the guide:

Fit & comfort: This was a straightforward assessment of how well the watch felt on-wrist while wearing it normally throughout the day and during workouts. We also looked at how easy it was to dial in the right fit with whatever the clasp system was.

Features: Simply put, what are all the features native to a certain Android smartwatch? We looked at what kinds of apps were natively available right out of the box, as well as what was accessible via an app store like Google Play. We also assessed how well these features elevated the overall experience. 

Battery life: Battery life is one of the most important aspects of a smartwatch and can dictate which watch is best for a certain user. If a fitness-focused watch has a hard time getting through just one day on a single charge, then that watch won't be good for something constantly using GPS or the heart rate monitor. Charging a watch every day isn't a dealbreaker, but it's useful to know what a watch offers and how it affects the overall experience. 

Ease of use: Smartwatches should ideally not have a steep learning curve and should be easy to navigate right out of the box. Of course, not all operating systems are the same, so there will be some differences from watch to watch. If a wearable is hard to navigate, you're less likely to use it. 

Accuracy: Tracking accuracy can make or break a smartwatch, especially for folks who use it as a training tool. Some are inherently better than others but even small discrepancies in tracking capability can make a big impact. We tested this by running a mile with each watch and comparing the differences in time and distance. 

Compatibility: Testing compatibility for Android smartwatches consisted of using each watch with several Android smartphones. No single Android watch is fully compatible with every single Android phone, but some do function better on a competitor's device without much change to the overall experience. For instance, our top pick, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, functions best on a Samsung phone, while the experience on something like the Google Pixel is watered-down.  

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What to look for in an Android smartwatch

Before purchasing a new Android smartwatch, it's important to consider how you plan on using it and which models fit your lifestyle best. Here are a few things to keep in mind while shopping: 

Style: The best smartwatches for Android come in several styles suited to different users. There are fitness tracker-type wearables like the Sense 2 or Inspire 3 designed to function best during activities. Then there are watches like the Google Pixel that evoke a more traditional wristwatch design. Deciding which style best suits your lifestyle is a key factor when shopping.  

Battery life: Battery life estimates vary wildly among the best Android smartwatches, as some, like the Google Pixel Watch, need to be recharged daily. Others, like the Fitbit Sense 2 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, boast multi-day battery life and are often better for active users who may be using the built-in GPS throughout the day or who travel often. 

Smart features: Although every smartwatch comes with smart features, some are smarter than others. Take the Fitbit Inspire 3, for example. This watch offers basic smartwatch capability, including call, text, email, and app notifications, but not much beyond that. Compared to the Google Pixel, which offers in-depth smart features that allow users to interact with the notifications, the Inspire 3 is leagues lower.

Ecosystem: Each smartwatch in this guide shares the Android ecosystem as a foundation, but they all have a secondary ecosystem to keep in mind. The Garmin Forerunners are compatible with the Garmin Connect App, the Sense 2 with Fitbit's app (and Fitbit Premium), and the Watch 5 Pro with Samsung Health. It's worth researching companion apps to see what you prefer. 

Display: The display native to an Android smartwatch can be as interactive as what's found on the Google Pixel Watch or as basic as what the Fitbit Inspire 3 offers. Your overall experience will change based on a watch's display, so it's important to understand what a watch offers and if that syncs with your preferred smartwatch experience.

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FAQs

What is the best Android smartwatch?

This depends on your preference and how you intend to use the watch. Some Android smartwatches, like the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro or Fitbit Sense 2, are better for fitness-focused users, and the former is our top overall pick for its combination of a fitness tracker and smartwatch experience. 

For those looking for a smartwatch that works fully and seamlessly with any Android phone, including a Google Pixel phone, the Google Pixel Watch 2 would fare better, and it's also solid as a fitness tracker. 

It's important to understand how you intend to use the smartwatch to make the best purchasing decision.

Do all Android smartwatches work on any Android smartphone? 

Yes and no. While most of the best Android smartwatches are compatible with all models of Android smartphones, some deliver a different overall experience. 

For instance, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro and Galaxy Watch 6 Classic function more seamlessly on a Samsung smartphone than it does on something like a Google Pixel. Some app access is limited, while the companion apps used to customize the watch differ. However, a watch like the Google Pixel Watch functions nearly similarly on the Google Pixel Phone as on a Samsung phone. 

Can you use an Apple Watch with an Android smartphone? 

No, the Apple Watch is only compatible with an iPhone running iOS. Unlike wearables from brands like Garmin or Fitbit, which work on iPhone and Android phones, the Apple Watch only functions on an iOS device.

Similarly, the best Android smartwatches won't work on an iPhone and are only compatible with smartphones running the Android operating system. 

Do you need an Android smartphone to use these watches?

Yes. Although you don't technically need a smartphone to power up a smartwatch, you won't be able to unlock its full functionality without syncing it to a smartphone via Bluetooth. 

Without a phone, a smartwatch could only tell the time and perform a few of its basic functions, like counting steps and how many calories you've burned. However, you'd have no way of accessing the amassed data without a device like a smartphone (or tablet). 

Can you use an iPhone with an Android smartwatch?

No. To get the full functionality out of an Android smartwatch, you'll need to use an Android smartphone. While nothing stops an iPhone user from wearing an Android smartwatch, they wouldn't be able to take advantage of its basic smartphone compatibility and would have an incredibly watered-down experience.

Do some Android smartwatches work better with certain Android devices?

The most common compatibility issue Android smartwatches encounter is when using an Android device from a different brand. For instance, Samsung's Galaxy Watches lose some functionality when used with a Google Pixel Phone. The same goes for using a Google Pixel Watch with a Samsung Galaxy smartphone, though it's not as drastic. 

While you can still use those watches with phones from different brands, you'll typically get the experience of using the same Android device brand with whatever Android smartwatch you buy.

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• We asked three interior designers to share items and trends they hate to see in a living room.
• The designers said that fake plants and frilly, heavy drapes are outdated and need to go.
• They also said too many throw pillows and stacks of magazines could make a space feel cluttered.

A living room should be a relaxing place to hang out, but sometimes it can become cluttered and crowded. Fortunately, there are things you can get rid of to free up some space and make your room feel more inviting.

Here are some things you should avoid having in your living room, according to interior designers.

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• Ukraine claims to have shot down a Russian Tu-22M3 supersonic bomber in war first.
• The aircraft was hit in Russia's Stavropol region.
• The bomber was on its way to attack Ukraine, said the air forces.

Ukraine has shot down a Russian Tu-22M3 supersonic bomber for the first time since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Kyiv's military intelligence said.

In a statement released early Friday, the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine (GUR) said it had taken out one of the strategic long-range bombers that had "launched a missile attack against Ukraine on the night of April 19."

The operation was coordinated with Ukraine's Air Force. The aircraft that Ukraine and its Western allies say Russia has frequently used to bomb was hit inside southern Russia around 200 miles from Ukraine.

"For the first time, the anti-aircraft missile units of the Air Force, in cooperation with Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence, destroyed a Tu-22M3 long-range strategic bomber — the carrier of Kh-22 cruise missiles, which the Russian terrorists use to attack peaceful Ukrainian cities," Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said in a statement.

The Tu-22M3 is designed to attack ground and sea targets with guided missiles and bombs. The NATO codename for it is Backfire.

In a video circulating across social media, what appears to be a burning Tu-22M3 can be seen falling from the sky before it hits the ground.

Business Insider could not independently verify when or where the footage was filmed.

It would be the first time Ukraine has managed to destroy a Russian strategic bomber since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.

Before the GUR's statement, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that a Tu-22M3 aircraft had crashed in a "deserted area" due to a "technical malfunction," according to Russian state media.

According to Stavropol Governor Vladimir Vladimirov, the plane came down in the region's Krasnogvardeysky District. Vladimirov claimed two pilots had successfully ejected from the aircraft. A third pilot was killed and a fourth is currently missing.

Ukrainian military intelligence spokesperson Andrii Yusov told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that a second Russian aircraft had been forced to turn back to base after the first one was shot down.

"It means that another series of missiles were not launched at Ukraine," Yusov said.

The Tu-22M3 has been a key target for Ukrainian air defense. Russian forces use Tu-22M3, often armed with AS-4 heavy anti-ship or Kh-22 cruise missiles, in airstrikes against Ukraine. In 2022, Russia used the Tu-22M3 to pummel the besieged city of Mariupol, per The National Interest.

In August last year, Ukraine's chief spy, Kyrylo Budanov, said intelligence estimates put Russia's Tu-22M3 fleet at 27 operable aircraft.

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• A Titan Airways flight had to do a U-turn due to missing and damaged windows.
• The Airbus plane had previously been used by King Charles, Queen Camilla, and other UK officials.
• High-intensity lights during a commercial shoot caused the window damage.

A plane used by VIPs like King Charles and Queen Camilla had to make an emergency landing after three windowpanes fell out mid-flight.

The Titan Airways flight traveling from London to Orlando in October had to U-turn after departing when a crew member noticed one of the windowpanes was loose.

Passengers had also noticed the plane was noisier and colder than usual, according to the Telegraph.

But the full extent of the damage wasn't known until the plane landed: Three of the windowpanes panes had fallen off, and impact damage was noticeable on the tail, according to a new report by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB).

Two of the windowpanes were completely removed, while the third window was missing the inner pane and a rubber seal, and a fourth window was damaged, the report said.

There were nine passengers and 11 crew on board. None of them reported injuries.

The aircraft was originally used by the British government. It was later sold to Titan Airways, which describes itself as a charter airline specializing in VIP and corporate travel.

The Telegraph reported that Charles and Camilla had traveled in the same aircraft during their visit to France in September.

It had also been used by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and James Cleverly, the UK's Foreign Secretary, the outlet said.

Buckingham Palace declined to comment when contacted by Business Insider.

The AAIB report identified the cause of the damage: The windows had been exposed to high-intensity lights when the aircraft was used to film a commercial at London's Stansted Airport the day before.

The lights, used to convey a sunrise, had been aimed at the windows for several hours at a time, the report said. They had a combined capacity of 72,000 watts, which is more than seven hundred times more powerful than a standard light bulb, The Telegraph reported.

There was no suggestion in the AAIB report that manufacturing issues contributed to the damage.

Although the aircraft lost windowpanes, that doesn't mean wind was shooting through the cabin, according to the report.

"All the scratch panes remained in place so there was no direct, unrestricted aperture between the passenger cabin and the outside air," it said, noting the amount of leaking air was not enough to trigger a pressurization problem.

Speaking to Business Insider, a Titan Airways spokesperson said, "the aviation industry as a whole will benefit from the lessons learnt from this event."

"We are also pleased to hear that our colleagues at Airbus will be circulating further information to its worldwide customer base, highlighting the potential damage that can be caused by high-intensity lighting," they said.

Airbus did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

This is not the first time an aircraft has sustained damage from strong lighting on a film set.

At least one other Airbus and three Boeing planes had previously reported damaged windows during respective filming events, the report said, adding that knowledge of these incidents previously wasn't widespread.

Damage to one of the Boeing planes was significant. A hole burned through one of the windows while five other windows were deformed after 2,000W lights were used, the report said.

In March 2020, Boeing released a statement advising against the use of high-intensity lights, the report added. If high-intensity lights were used, it suggested keeping use to a minimum and away from windows.

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• S&P Global cut its rating for Israel on Thursday as tensions in the Middle East escalate.
• Israel's economy may suffer if there's a broad and drawn-out conflict, S&P said.
• Moody's, another ratings agency, downgraded Israel for the first time in February.

S&P Global downgraded Israel on Thursday, warning that escalating tensions in the Middle East could affect its ability to repay debt.

The ratings agency cut Israel's sovereign credit score from "AA-" to "A+" while maintaining a negative overall outlook.

"The recent increase in confrontation with Iran heightens already elevated geopolitical risks for Israel. We expect a wider regional conflict will be avoided, but the Israel-Hamas war and the confrontation with Hezbollah appear set to continue throughout 2024," it said in a statement.

S&P forecast that Israel's overall deficit will rise from about 4% to 8% by the end of this year, mostly due to higher defense spending. It projected that net general government debt is likely to peak at 66% in 2026, and any broadening of the conflict in the Middle East could take an even bigger toll on the country's economy.

"A wider regional conflict, which is not our baseline scenario, could have a further material negative impact on Israel's security situation and, consequently, its economic, fiscal, and balance-of-payments parameters," S&P said.

The downgrade — which puts Israel's credit rating on the same level as countries including China, Bermuda and Kuwait — came as senior US officials told multiple outlets that Israel had struck Iran overnight. Tel-Aviv is yet to claim formal responsibility for the attack.

Another major credit ratings agency, Moody's, downgraded Israel for the first time in February, citing the impact that the ongoing war in Gaza could have on the country's finances.

The Israeli shekel fell 0.2% against the US dollar on Friday as markets digested both the downgrade and the reported strike on Iran, according to data from Refinitiv.

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• A Florida man received a $143,000 phone bill from T-Mobile after an overseas trip to Switzerland.
• The charges were due to his phone not being set for international roaming, according to ABC Action News.
• After legal intervention and media coverage, T-Mobile agreed to credit the entire amount.

A Florida man returned from a trip to Switzerland with his wife last September to discover he was facing an unexpectedly massive phone bill, Tampa's ABC Action News reported.

Rene Remund said that after returning home he received his bill from T-Mobile. He initially thought he was being charged $143 for sending photos and texts to family and friends from the Alps, according to the local news outlet.

But the actual charge was much higher — around $143,000 for 9.5 gigabytes of data used overseas.

According to Forbes, the average annual salary in Florida is $55,980, making the bill more than twice what an average worker makes each year in the state.

Remund had incurred thousands of dollars in daily roaming charges because his phone was not set up for international roaming, the report said.

Most US customers' domestic plans do not cover usage abroad, according to the Federal Communications Commission.

Remund said he contacted T-Mobile, which confirmed the bill was indeed what he owed, per ABC Action News.

T-Mobile and Remund did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

Remund enlisted an attorney, who wrote letters to T-Mobile's president hoping for a response, the local outlet reported. The attorney also contacted ABC Action News, which subsequently contacted T-Mobiles's corporate office.

The local news outlet reported that the carrier ultimately agreed to credit Remund's account for the entire month.

In a statement to ABC Action News, T-Mobile advised customers who may be on older plans to check to see if international roaming and data are included.

Remund reportedly said he always notifies T-Mobile before leaving the US for vacations, and this time visited a T-Mobile store to notify them of his travels.

He also told the news outlet that it was a huge relief to no longer be on the hook for the six-figure bill.

The amount of data Remund used isn't considered excessive. According to telecommunication company Ericsson, the North American monthly average data usage per smartphone was an estimated 25.9 gigabytes in 2023.

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• Swastika Chandra had her Uber account banned because of her name.
• Uber eventually apologized to the Australian woman and reinstated her account.
• Chandra said she's proud of her Hindu identity and her name and wouldn't change it for anyone.  

An Australian woman was banned from using Uber after the company deemed her first name to be offensive.

Swastika Chandra tried to order food from Uber Eats last year, but when she typed in her name, a pop-up told her it violated the company's terms and she'd have change it, she told A Current Affair.

Uber's guidelines restrict names that contain potentially offensive words.

Swastika comes from a Sanskrit word meaning good fortune or well-being. It's a symbol that has been relevant to many religions across Asia, like Jainism and Buddhism, long before it was co-opted by Adolf Hitler and the Nazis and became associated with antisemitism.

"They don't know that the Hindus used it for thousands of years before Hitler used it in the wrong way," Chandra said. Her name was common in Fiji, where she grew up, and which has a large Indian population.

"I'm very proud of my name. I believe in the good that comes with it and I'm not changing it for anyone," she told ACA.

Five months later, Uber reinstated her account and apologized to Chandra. However, it took interventions by the Hindu Council of Australia and the New South Wales attorney-general, according to ACA.

"We have apologised to Ms Chandra for the inconvenience this caused her, and we appreciate her patience as we reviewed the matter, which took longer than we hoped it would," Uber told the program.

Uber is no stranger to these types of moderation issues. In 2021, it deactivated a number of accounts of transgender drivers over what it deemed to be fraudulent profile pictures taken after the drivers had transitioned.

The company also faced backlash last year after the owner of a Palestinian restaurant in Toronto said Uber Eats had suddenly labeled his restaurant as Israeli. Uber Eats previously told Business Insider that the "unintentional" issue had been fixed.

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• Mortgage holders are shelling out a record $2,800 on average to cover their monthly payments.
• Mortgage costs have soared due to rising house prices and soaring interest rates.
• Mortgage rates are at a five-month high after stubborn inflation dashed hopes for rate cuts soon.

The average home owner is now forking out a record $2,800 just to cover their monthly payment, as soaring house prices and surging interest rates have made it costlier than ever to own a home.

The median monthly mortgage payment has jumped 11% over the past year to hit $2,775 for the four weeks ended April 14, Redfin data shows.

That's an astounding 58% of the median pre-tax monthly income for full-time US workers of $4,773 in March — calculated by taking the government's latest weekly earnings figure and multiplying it by four.

Rising rates are largely responsible for the sharp increase in mortgage payments. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate spiked to a five-month high of 7.4% this week, per Mortgage News Daily. The upshot is that anyone taking out a mortgage to buy a home is paying a lot more every month than in the past.

The median sale price for homes has also jumped 5% in the past year to $380,250 — only about $3,100 short of the record high in June 2022, per Redfin. People are probably borrowing more to afford increasingly pricey homes, meaning they have to pay more each month.

The painful rise in mortgage costs is just one headache for households. Inflation spiked to a 40-year high of over 9% in the summer of 2022 and was still running at 3.5% in March, well above the Federal Reserve's 2% target. That speaks to the rising cost of food, energy, rent, and other goods and services for consumers.

The Fed's response to surging prices has been to hike its benchmark interest rate from virtually zero to more than 5%. That has driven 30-year mortgage rates from about 3% at the start of 2022 to more than 7%, which has caused monthly mortgage payments to spike.

The rate hikes have also raised monthly payments for car loans, credit cards, and other types of debt. The result is that consumers face a double-whammy of painful price increases and steeper monthly interest payments.

Mortgage rates did ease earlier this year, but have rebounded as stubborn inflation has spurred the Fed to push back rate cuts.

The steep rise in mortgage rates has also frozen the US housing market, as prospective sellers are loath to give up lower rates they've locked in by listing their homes, and potential buyers are balking at near-record prices and chunkier monthly mortgage payments.

The affordability crisis contributed to sales of existing homes dropping 4.3% between February and March, the biggest percentage decline since November 2022.

The bleak picture has led some experts to predict a buying boom once rates fall. "Shark Tank" investor Barbara Corcoran has declared that house prices will "go through the roof" if rates drop by just a single percentage point, while investor Bill Pulte recently suggested they could spike 20% to a record $500,000 if the Fed cuts too soon.

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• Someone bought a domain name similar to Meghan Markle's latest venture, American Riviera Orchard.
• They then directed it to a donation page for a charity, which had the message: "hope meghan wouldn't mind."
• This isn't the first time the Sussexes have had to deal with cybersquatters.

The Duchess of Sussex appears to have forgotten the golden rule of buying domain names: buy all the domain names.

The same day that Meghan Markle launched the site American Riviera Orchard last month, another domain was registered — americanrivieraorchard.uk — which does not direct traffic to her page.

As of Friday, the mysterious site had a simple message on it: "Forgiveness. Permission. Please donate to the Trussell Trust."

It then linked to a JustGiving page purportedly in support of a well-known UK food bank charity.

The JustGiving page has the message: "not meghan. hope meghan wouldn't mind."

It adds: "thoughts with catherine. x" — a likely reference to Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, who announced on March 22 that she was undergoing treatment for cancer.

The maker of the page, who did not leave contact information, was unreachable for comment.

At the time of publication, the fundraiser had attracted more than £8,300, over $10,000, far exceeding its £1,000 target.

The Sussexes did not immediately respond to a BI request for comment, sent outside of US working hours.

Donors to the food bank used the comment section to pass on remarks about Meghan and Prince Harry.

"A worthy cause that the Sussexes would no doubt approve of," one donor wrote.

Another was a little more pointed: "Fantastic — No one needs 200 pound jars of jam — this is a brilliant cause and thankyou for diverting the uk website to real people not shallow lifestyle gurus."

It's unclear what Markle plans to do with the American Riviera Orchard brand, but an associated trademark application says the brand intends to sell tableware, cookbooks, jams, and spreads.

The Trussell Trust, meanwhile, is the UK's leading food bank charity, supporting a network of 1,200 food banks across the country.

In a statement sent to BI, the charity's director of public engagement, Sophie Carre, said: "The charity is not connected with this website domain and have no knowledge of who set it up."

But she said that the trust would accept any donations that ensue, saying that "the money raised would not meet the requirements for rejection."

The Sussexes appear not to have learned lessons from previous cybersquatting efforts.

In 2020, their Archewell Foundation was targetted, with the domain archewellfoundation.com briefly directing visitors to a YouTube video of Kanye West's, or Ye's, song "Gold Digger." (The actual foundation URL is archewell.org.)

Ending a domain with just ".uk," as in this latest case, is not common even in the UK — where domain names typically end with ".co.uk," or ".org.uk."

But when you're part of the UK's most famous family, you should probably cover all of your bases.

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• An Israeli strike hit Isfahan in Iran, multiple outlets said, citing unnamed senior US officials.
• It came after Iran fired drones and missiles at Israel in its first-ever direct attack.
• The nature of Israel's response suggests it wants to limit the conflict, say analysts.

The relatively restrained nature of an apparent Israeli attack on Iran suggests that both sides are seeking to step back from the brink of a regional war, according to experts.

Several explosions caused by an Israeli attack were heard in the central province of Isfahan on Friday, unnamed senior US officials told multiple outlets.

The exact nature of the strike, which hit key military targets, is unclear, they said. The International Atomic Energy Agency said that none of Iran's nuclear sites in the region were damaged.

Initial reports from Iranian officials suggest that Israel may have used small drones or quadcopters for the attack on Friday. However, US sources told CBS News that Israel used missiles.

"If the extent of Israel's retaliation is a small drone (quadcopter) attack inside Iran, the current escalation might be contained within the boundaries of the pre-7th Oct status quo," Andreas Krieg, an expert on the Middle East at King's College London, wrote on X.

It comes after more than 300 Iranian drones and missiles were fired at Israel on Saturday. That was itself a response to an Israeli strike on Iran's consulate in Damascus.

Iran warned for weeks that the attack was coming — giving Israel's allies time to prepare — and avoided targeting civilian locations.

"I would actually think that we will be surprised and that things may very well wind down," Charles Miller, a security expert at Australian National University told The Washington Post.

"It seems that actually both sides want to be seen to be doing something without actually undertaking the risks of doing anything that's too provocative."

The terrorist attacks by Iran-ally Hamas on Israel on October 7 sparked the latest conflict in the Middle East, with Israel responding by launching an attack on Gaza and Iranian proxies in the region.

Krieg pointed to the fact that Iran's media had downplayed the attack, "suggesting they won't have to respond."

Iranian state media outlet Press TV posted footage of what it described as "a tranquil atmosphere in the Iranian city of Isfahan, with residents going about their usual routines, despite the recent explosions heard near the city."

Analysts on Israeli TV echoed that assessment.

"Israel can do elegant military maneuvers that are not noisy or cause significant military damage but which deliver the message Israel wants," Dana Weiss, a diplomatic affairs analyst for Israel's Channel 12, said, reported The New York Times. "And that is what we have seen them do."

If the use of drones is confirmed, it wouldn't be the first time Israel has targeted Iran using UAVs. In January 2023, Israel was accused of attacking a military factory in Isfahan in the same way.

Other analysts said the attacks were apparently designed to signal that Israel could do far more damage to Iran's nuclear program if it wanted.

There remain fears that the conflict between the countries could spiral into a broader regional war. Before Friday's strikes, Israel's Western allies had urged the country's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to be moderate in his response.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian had previously warned in a CNN interview that the Iranian response to an Israeli attack would be "immediate and at a maximum level."

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