Temple, the head-worn sensor from Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal, says its own study found it tracks running heart rate more closely than five flagship wearables, including Apple Watch Series 12.
- Temple Private Limited published the white paper on its science and research page on 31 October 2026.
- 43 healthy adults aged 20 to 35 ran on an indoor treadmill wearing all six devices at once, with a Polar H10 ECG chest strap as the reference.
- Average error against the strap was 1.18 bpm for Temple, 1.94 bpm for Apple Watch Series 12, 2.96 for Fitbit Air, 3.14 for WHOOP MG, 3.18 for Garmin Forerunner 970 and 5.21 for Oura Ring 5.
- Temple says its error held at 1.16 bpm in the hardest efforts, heart rate zones 4 and 5, and that 1.8% of its readings were badly off, against 9% for Apple Watch and more than 20% for WHOOP and Garmin.
- Temple funded, ran and analysed the study itself. It was not a clinical trial, and it covered treadmill running only, not cycling, strength work or outdoor runs.
- Goyal has told sceptics to wait for independent testing and says Temple will pay for others to repeat the study.
- Pre-orders opened in India on 1 November at ₹85,000, including a lifetime subscription. Each unit is made to order, with delivery expected about three months later.
What it means for runners
Nothing changes for your training yet. A chest strap remains the standard Temple measured itself against, and a Polar H10 costs a small fraction of the price. Apart from the ring, every device in the test stayed within about 3 bpm on average, which is close enough to hold a zone on a steady treadmill run.
The result also sits awkwardly against Apple’s own study (generally excellent), published in September alongside the Apple Watch Ultra 4 launch. Apple tested 1,254 people against the same Polar H10 strap across outdoor runs, treadmill intervals, cycling, HIIT and strength work, with a contracted research firm running two of its five sites. It found Apple Watch Series 12 more accurate than every rival it tried, including the Forerunner 970, WHOOP 5.0 and Oura Ring 5, and Apple now says the Ultra 4 has the most accurate heart rate sensing in any wearable. Temple wasn’t on sale and wasn’t in that test. Temple’s 43 people ran only on a treadmill, so why should its ranking outweigh one built on almost 30 times as many people and five types of exercise? Each company paid for the study it won, and neither result has been repeated independently.
The interesting part is where the sensor sits. If a sensor on the temple really stays accurate in zones 4 and 5, it would help on intervals, where optical heart rate struggles and I would be impressed. The test left out the conditions that trouble optical sensors most, such as cold outdoor runs, rough trails, hill repeats and gym work. Until someone independent repeats it, treat Temple’s claim as just that…a claim. Goyal says accurate heart rate feeds Temple’s other measurements, and its headline Entropy score is the real pitch.
Quick answers
Is Temple more accurate than a chest strap?
No. Temple measured every device against a Polar H10 chest strap taped to the skin, so the strap is the standard it is chasing, not one it beat.
Who ran the heart rate study?
Temple funded it, ran it, and analysed it in-house. Goyal has invited independent labs to repeat it, and none has published results yet.
How much does Temple cost?
Pre-orders opened in India at ₹85,000, which includes a lifetime subscription and a 14-day return policy there. Delivery is expected around three months after ordering.
Related: Polar H9 and H10 chest straps compared, Garmin Forerunner 955 HRV study and how we test wearables.
Source and original research by: the5krunner and Moneycontrol.
Last Updated on 3 November 2026 by tfk the5krunner
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- Garmin Forerunner 970: A pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
- Apple Watch Ultra 4: My daily smartwatch. No phone needed on rides.
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On the bike
- Continental GP5000 for everyday riding, and Aero 111 on the front for special occasions.
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Health, recovery and sleep
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- Fourth Frontier Zone: Checks my heart under load in hard sessions.
- Kineon MOVE+: Red and infrared light for sore knees, Achilles and other joints after hard training. I use it.
- Oura Ring 5: My partner’s recovery tracker of choice.
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tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors. See the gear tfk uses. ID
