Garmin is on the cusp of reinventing itself as a true wearables company.
The watch and navigation company Monday introduced a number of new devices, including GPS-enabled smartwatches and designer fitness bands.
Perhaps the most ambitous of the new products is a GPS smartwatch, which can pair with a smartphone by Bluetooth. Aimed at athletes and active types, the Garmin vivoactive can track different types of activities such as running, biking, swiming and golfing.
Garmin said it is working with a number of app developers that are creating vívoactive apps for an online store. The vivoactive will soon be getting apps such a calendar, weather, and one that monitors the oxygenation of muscles during a workout.
The device is water-resistant to 50 meters, and uses sensor-based technology for its swimming app to compute the number of lengths, total and interval distances, paces by length, by interval, and for the full session, as well as calories burned.
Garmin promises up to three weeks battery life in watch/activity tracking mode or up to 10 hours using GPS. The watch’s color touchscreen displays all the same notifications as a smartphone, including caller ID and missed call information for incoming calls, sender information and message for text messages, email messages with sender and subject, calendar reminders, and notifications from social media and other mobile apps.
Vívoactive will be available in black or white and will begin shipping sometime in the first quarter. Garmin said the vivoactice will suggested retail for $249.99 and $299.99, which includes a heart rate monitor bundle.
Shares of Garmin Coporation were down just under 2 percent Monday in early trading to $51.69.
Filed Under: Devices
