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Next Week’s Big Bang | Plus Apple vs Garmin in Sports Usage

Apple Watch in Sports vs Garmin in Sports

This is a topic I’m going to return to again and again. Why? Well, because it will be one of the fundamental drivers of sports tech over the next 5 years, or so. Ignore it or belittle it at your peril.

A simple: “An athlete needs 5 buttons on a watch to run properly with tech” argument is a little naive on several levels.

In this ongoing saga, there won’t be a Big Bang despite the locking of horns of two of sports tech’s leviathans, Apple & Garmin. Although, there may well be a series of ‘pops’ as the months progress. Worse than that, this story probably warrants the term ‘fizzle’ rather than even ‘pop’.

To cheer you up, part 2 of the headlined story, below, IS a Big Bang. You can page down now to be teased about one of the year’s biggest announcements or put up with me waffling about Apple for a minute.

Form Goggles in the Apple Store

On the face of it, this is a nothing story.

“Big News…Apple stocks new 3rd Party Product” would be one way of looking at it. I get it. Sure, it’s great for Form Goggles but why on earth would Apple want to stock techy swimming goggles? I mean, shrug, I guess they’ll make some money. Not much but some.

 

Let’s step back a few months.

When Form Goggles released their product it was no big surprise to see it hook up with Garmin Connect. Everyone does that and it’s obvious why. ie 98% of tech-loving triathletes buy Garmin watches. I’m guessing at 98%…it could be 99%.

And it was no big surprise to soon see Form providing support for Polar’s OH1 to give accurate and live ohr data as you swim beamed into your goggles from a reading on your temple. OK, it’s a bit clunky to attach the OH1 to your FORM‘s straps but it IS a super-cool, SUPER-ACCURATE solution. That makes me happy.

But then BAM BAM

  1. Form seems to reverse partnerships and dig in deeper with Garmin by providing OWS support for GPS position/pace/distance and oHR beamed from the Fenix 6/945/745 on your wrist to the goggles. That’s a less accurate techy setup, with an issue or two but equally as cool, nevertheless.
  2. Then that same advanced Garmin functionality was mirrored for Apple Watch 5 (3, SE & 6 too). What?!?

Apple Watch? That’s for the pretty people in cities, right? Surely, you use the Apple Watch as a remote control to your iPhone when you are videoing some liberal mass-gathering for your Instagram feed? rather than using it as a rangefinder tool to figure out just how far away that deer is before you shoot it. Right? Apple Watch doesn’t really have stealth mode nor triathlon mode.  Right? I mean, is it even waterproof? Oh yes, the silly twizzly-crown action, I almost forgot. Not very ‘pro sports’.

Clearly not.

Apple Watch 6 SE 3 Compass Altimeter Barometer Routes best outdoor rugged Strap weather complication

OTHER READING: Apple Watch Used as a Garmin Fenix Alternative

 

Yet, quite a lot of people are using Apple Watch for sports. They really are. That’s precisely why Form wants Apple Watch compatibility. There are millions of Apple Watches out there and there most definitely are not millions of Polar and Suunto users out there. Money speaks.

TIP: Make your product compatible with the cash rather than compatible with the cool, pro triathletes.

Fine. Form has clearly done some homework. Lots of 3rd-party companies do clever stuff with the Apple Watch. They want to make money by linking up. Sports sensor/accessory companies are realising that you launch a new product with Garmin and Apple compatibility.

BUT this announcements about the Apple Store is THE OTHER WAY AROUND. It is APPLE who are doing the hard work and stocking the goggles (well, probably listing them but you get my drift). It’s a strategic thing for them. Apple wants to be seen as more and more sporty. It’s a creeping thing too.

  • Remember the Apple Fitness+ subscription will be coming very soon (late 2020).
  • Remember also that the announcement for WatchOS7 earlier this year teased the addition of some form of low-end VO2max addition to the AW. #ComingVerySoon

These actions together are pointing to an obvious and predictable trend.

Apple aims to take over the fitness & sports world. Like China, they play the Long Game.

So, there we go. That’s one thing that will shake up Garmin‘s relatively cosy world.

OTHER READING: Garmin | Kill the Competition | A How-To Guide

OTHER READING: Beating a Garmin Edge – How a Competitor Can Do It

Next Week’s Big Bang

No. This Big Bang is not about the Hammerhead Karoo 2 (K2). That sweet device is the latest contender in with a chance of spoiling Garmin’s party with the Edge bike crowd. The K2 is a great device but will it make significant inroads into Garmin cycling head unit market share? Maybe. Probably not.

Anyway, you can buy one of those now(ish) if you get your order in VERY quickly. They are about to start shipping in more significant numbers very soon but there’s a big waitlist.

So the NDA-based news is that there will be a Big Bang next week.

And yes it’s a crazy time to release a significant new product. Or is it? After all, we are all saving some cash for those Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales (of 3-year old products that we don’t want). Maybe it’s a cunning plan to divert your cash stash into a new product sales rather than a new sale of an old product.

In terms of the phrases I used above, this new product will probably be a ‘POP’ and probably a bigger ‘POP’ than the launch of the K2.

Stay tuned folks.

PS Yes, don’t buy your ‘thing’ yet. This could be better. Wait.

the Wahoo RIVAL Review vs Garmin 955/965, Top 11 Tips, [2022] ELEMNT Triathlon

 

Your thoughts welcomed below! Please don’t use the 5-button line 😉

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41 thoughts on “Next Week’s Big Bang | Plus Apple vs Garmin in Sports Usage”

    1. Decathlon discounted the FR945 and FR245 this week as end of series, I think your guess is right although I think it will be the mythic ‘FR655’.

      2. i would be interested to see how they phrased the ‘end of series’
        the 945 will keep selling for a few more years
        there may be a 655 and a 955 and a 245+ (tho probably fr245+ and fr45+ will be separate)

    2. Hopefully not. The 945, 745 and 245 have being receiving lots of software love recently. Once the 955 comes out, this will most likely come to an end. Obviously if the x55 series comes which much better hardware instead of just software goodies such as a more accurate GPS chip or a LTE chip that works just works across most networks like how smartphone LTE chips do, then it will be worth it.

      1. 245 and 945 are almost 2 years old, so they will be eventually superseded. FR 745 is in the weird spot, where it is new watch but I am 99% sure that it won’t get any new stuff once 955 is out.

      2. would make sense to not give the FR745 new stuff from 955, right now its too close to 945. This would separate the portfolio a little bit more.

  3. Maybe the Polar Verity?

    Edit: Obviously not the FR955 since you‘ve not been under NDA from Garmin historically 😉

    1. as The5krunner stated in other post, polar tease launch with some kind of social media post, maybe they will launch teaser on monday if is polar device, as to 955 or garmin device, something will come in first month of 2021 as of FCCID confidentiality date

  4. Please talk about the terrible garmin fenix 6 update 12:20 the HR is al over the place. check out the garmin forum so many problems
    I have bought this watch 4 weeks ago was working fine after this update it looks like i have a heart condition this is unacceptable
    So maybe talk about it and garmin will say something on their website about it

  5. I wanted to insert a screenshot from stryd group in Facebook. Impossible.

    Gus Nelson says: “We have some really really awsome features coming for garmin watches. The features will be even better than what we just did with the stryd workout app. It is something nobody has been talking abour and something that will blow you away.”

    2. click the image icon in the bottom right hand side of this comment field then upload

      1. nice job, the hint from wahoo was not obvious. although obvious in hindsight.
        enjoy the reivew

  9. What about a “smart glass” from any of the big players? Maybe solved the energy problem and coupled it to the existing watches?
    For me as a runner that would be perfect – having all the data “in view”…

      1. when i posted the link the review wasn’t online yet 🙂

        still hope for my 955 ..(my 920 is passin away…..)

      1. no doubt about this…but at the moment i own too many garmin devices to switch company (i know no one cares about it..). SO i ve hoped something new in garmin tri watch family. i think the 955 will be presented in 2021 ….

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