Garmin Beats Apple to Market with Satellite-Connected Smartwatch

Less than a week up of erstwhile Apple plans to unveil the Apple Watch Ultra with outer capabilities, Garmin introduced its own smartwatch with outer connectivity.


The Fenix 8 Pro is Garmin's archetypal smartwatch to diagnostic its inReach outer and cellular connectivity. InReach is the exertion that Garmin uses for its handheld navigation devices. With inReach, the Fenix 8 Pro tin nonstop determination check-ins and substance messages implicit outer utilizing the Garmin Messenger app.

There is besides included cellular connectivity, truthful the smartwatch tin marque telephone calls, nonstop 30-second dependable messages, and supply LiveTrack links and upwind forecasts erstwhile an LTE transportation is available.

LiveTrack is simply a diagnostic that allows the wearer's household and friends to support way of their determination during an enactment oregon adventure.

For emergencies, determination is an SOS diagnostic that volition nonstop a connection to the Garmin Response halfway implicit a outer oregon cellular connection. Garmin Response volition past pass with the user, their exigency contacts, and hunt and rescue organizations to supply help. Garmin says that its Response squad has supported implicit 17,000 inReach incidental responses crossed implicit 150 countries.

Along with outer connectivity, the Fenix 8 Pro has a high-resolution microLED show with 4,500 nits of brightness, making it the "brightest smartwatch ever," according to Garmin. Other features see dive-rated and leakproof metallic buttons, a metallic sensor defender cover, and an LED flash light. It tin way wellness metrics and supply an endurance score, elevation score, regular suggested workouts, sleeping advice, ECG functionality, and more.

There are 2 Fenix 8 Pro sizes, including 47mm and 51mm, and 2 antithetic show options. The AMOLED exemplary is priced starting astatine $1,200 and it gets up to 27 days of artillery successful smartwatch mode. The microLED model, which is disposable lone successful a 51mm size, is priced astatine $2,000 and it gets up to 10 days of artillery beingness successful smartwatch mode. Garmin's caller smartwatch models volition beryllium disposable for acquisition connected September 8, 1 time earlier Apple's September 9 lawsuit that volition spot the unveiling of the next-generation Apple Watch Ultra.

Apple's upcoming Apple Watch Ultra 3 is rumored to see integrated outer connectivity, allowing Apple Watch wearers to nonstop substance messages and get assistance erstwhile a cellular oregon Wi-Fi transportation is unavailable.

Apple does not complaint for outer work astatine this time, portion Garmin does. Garmin's inReach plans commencement astatine $7.99 per month, with further fees for immoderate of the satellite-based features based connected which program is selected.
This article, "Garmin Beats Apple to Market with Satellite-Connected Smartwatch" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com

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