Along with a new Apple Pay competitor and refreshed vívoactive wearable, Garmin has also today introduced the new vívosport fitness tracker. What makes this announcement notable is Garmin’s intriguing positioning of its latest device.
At $200, it’s easily seen as a high-end fitness tracker when compared to Fitbit’s offerings. Conversely, some of its smartphone-connected features make it feel like an entry-level smartwatch. Built-in GPS and up to a week’s worth of battery life are among a long list of features that might entice you to make the newest Garmin your next purchase.
Garmin’s vívosport fitness tracker checks all of the box when it comes to specs, hitting the mark for most consumers. Gone are the days when we had to choose between heart rate monitoring or our budgets. As brands like Apple, Fitbit and others have rapidly expanded the market we’re seeing more and more new devices with complete feature lists each day.
Highlighting the slim vívosmart is an always-on color touchscreen display that is supported by a seven-day battery. That number does however drop significantly when GPS is activated, as users will only get around eight hours total in that scenario.
You pack a lot into your day — the same way the vívosport activity tracker packs a lot of useful features into its slim, lightweight band. With built-in GPS to accurately track your walks, runs and bike rides, it lets you take your activities on the go.
For those looking for something outside the realm of Apple or Android Wear, this may be the most complete and budget-friendly device that we’ve seen. Garmin includes VO2 max tracking (a feature previously reserved for high-end devices), full waterproofing, built-in strength training and a new feature called LiveTrack5. That last one is Garmin’s take on ‘Find My Friends’. The main idea here is that your GPS-radio will send out signals during activities to notify a friend or family of your location. This safety-focused feature is perfect for those long runs where a little extra peace-of-mind is helpful.
As you’d expect, the new vívosmart offers all of the usual smartphone-connected features including notifications and music playback controls. The latest Garmin fitness tracker is available for purchase today in three colors for $200.
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Take activities on the go with vívosport, the latest GPS-enabled smart activity tracker from Garmin
OLATHE, Kan.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Garmin International, Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), today announced the vívosportTM , the smart activity tracker1 with ElevateTM 24/7 wrist-based heart rate and GPS to accurately track every walk, run and ride. With an always-on Garmin ChromaTM color touchscreen display and new built-in sports apps for everything from strength training to cycling and cardio, the vívosport is optimized for both indoor and outdoor workouts. Smart notifications keep users connected as they jump from one activity to the next, and fitness and wellness monitoring tools provide valuable information like fitness age and stress level. Safe for swimming and showering2 and featuring a battery life3 of up to 7 days in smartwatch mode and 8 hours in GPS mode, this ultra-slim tracker is built for life on the go. The vívosport is one of the many new wearables from Garmin being launched in conjunction with IFA in Berlin, Germany, September 1-6.
“We realize that many customers prefer to work out with a slim fitness band but don’t want to compromise on the fitness and connectivity features typically found on smartwatches,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of worldwide sales. “With vívosport, you get the best of a smart activity tracker and a sports watch in an ultra-slim, ultra-sleek design.”
The vívosport features helpful fitness monitoring tools including VO2 max and fitness age which provide users with valuable data to monitor changes in their fitness level. Increased activity – like walking the dog or training for a 10K – will improve these numbers over time. The vívosport also includes all-day stress tracking by measuring users’ HRV (heart rate variability). The ability to view both current stress levels at the wrist and a longer timetable of stress on Garmin ConnectTM allows customers to identify patterns and consider making lifestyle changes to avoid or better cope with stress-inducing situations. A Four-Fold Breath relaxation timer further helps users balance stress and rest.
With built-in sports apps for walking, running, biking, cardio and strength training, the vívosport is the perfect accessory for running the neighborhood, conquering a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) class or counting reps and sets in the gym. And thanks to Garmin Move IQTM, the vívosport automatically classifies multiple activities, making it even easier for users to get credit for their workouts.
Give loved ones peace of mind during outdoor workouts with LiveTrack4, a feature that tracks activity and location in real time. Designated individuals will receive invitations via email, Facebook or Twitter with a link to a webpage that includes the position of the connected vívosport device. The vívosport is the only fitness band to include this LiveTrack feature.
Stay connected on the move with vibration alerts for emails, texts, calls, calendar reminders, app alerts, social media updates and more from a compatible smartphone4. Users will also benefit from the ability to control music on their smartphone from the vívosport, send an alert to locate a misplaced smartphone, and control a Garmin VIRB® camera (sold separately).
Throughout the day, the vívosport automatically syncs with the Garmin Connect mobile app to save stats for easy access later. In Garmin Connect, a free online community, users can see their workouts, strength training activities, stress levels and sleep patterns displayed on detailed graphs. View outdoor workouts on detailed maps, compete in weekly challenges and connect with other fitness enthusiasts, right from a compatible smartphone or desktop computer.
The ultimate companion for both indoor and outdoor activities, the vívosport features a sunlight-readable always-on, Garmin Chroma color touchscreen display and ultra-slim, sporty band available in black/slate (small/medium and large), black/fuchsia (small/medium only) and black/limelight (large only). The vívosport has a suggested retail price of $199.99. To see what the vívosport has to offer, check out this feature benefit video. For more information, visit Garmin.com/vivo.
The ever-expanding Garmin fitness segment develops technologies to enhance and promote healthy and active lifestyles. Whether users are runners, cyclists, swimmers, multi-sport athletes, or simply looking to stay active throughout the day, there is a Garmin product that can help them reach their health and fitness goals.
For decades, Garmin has pioneered new GPS navigation and wireless devices and applications that are designed for people who live an active lifestyle. Garmin serves five primary business units, including automotive, aviation, fitness, marine, and outdoor recreation. For more information, visit Garmin’s virtual pressroom at garmin.com/newsroom, contact the Media Relations department at 913-397-8200, or follow us at facebook.com/garmin, twitter.com/garmin, or youtube.com/garmin.
1 See Garmin.com/ataccuracy
2 See Garmin.com/waterrating
3 Under typical use; battery life may vary depending on selected performance mode and usage
4 When paired with a compatible smartphone; see Garmin.com/ble
About Garmin
Garmin International, Inc., is a subsidiary of Garmin Ltd. (Nasdaq: GRMN). Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. Garmin and VIRB are registered trademarks. vívosport, Chroma, Elevate, Move IQ and Garmin Connect are trademarks of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries.
All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.
Notice on Forward-Looking Statements:
This release includes forward-looking statements regarding Garmin Ltd. and its business. Such statements are based on management’s current expectations. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and actual results could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting Garmin, including, but not limited to, the risk factors listed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, filed by Garmin with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 0-31983). A copy of such Form 10-K is available at http://www.garmin.com/aboutGarmin/invRelations/finReports.html. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Garmin undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
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