Garmin makes a range of GPS devices and sports and fitness products. So it’s not surprising that the company’s 3 new smartwatches place a heavy emphasis on those features.
The Garmin epix is a phone with a 1.4 inch color touchscreen for displaying maps and satellite imagery. Garmin’s vÃvoactive is a GPS watch with sports and activity tracking apps. And the fÄ“nix 3 is a sports watch with GPS.
fēnix 3
This watch features GPS and sensors for tracking steps as well as cycling, swimming, and other activities. It can track distance and the watch is waterproof, so you can take it swimming.
The watch can pair with your smartphone to display notifications for calls, text messages, and email messages. And it features WiFi support for uploading your activity data.
You can pair the watch with a Garmin VIRB Elite action camera to use your watch as a wireless remote for the camera. It also supports other accessories including heart rate monitors, temperature sensors, and more.
The fēnix 3 launches in the first quarter of 2015 for $500 and up.
vÃvoactiveÂ
If that price seems a bit steep, the new Garmin vÃvoactive starts at $250. The company describes it as a light-weight GPS smartwatch with sports and activity features.
It has GPS-enabled apps for running, swimming, golf, and other activities and youc an pair it with a phone to receive notifications. There’s also a Connect IQ store where you can download apps, widgets, and watch faces for use with the device’s sunlight-readable color touchscreen display.
epix
Garmin describes its third new watch as a rugged GPS mapping watch that you can use as a hands-free navigation device.
It comes with a global base map, but also has 8GB of storage for additional maps and comes with a 1-year subscription to BirdsEye satellite imagery.
The watch is waterproof and in addition to providing navigation features, it supports sports features such as tracking your distance, pace, or speed and you can download third-party apps from the Connect IQ Store.
Garmin will begin selling the epix watch in the first quarter of 2015 for $550 and up.
via Garmin