This is either a clever move from Garmin or an unwise one, it’s certainly not a fully thought-through one.
More: Withings
One of the future areas for the ‘wearables market is ‘fashion’. We have seen that with the NEVOs, Withings, the Tag and many, many others.
Lots of money to be made.
Garmin has a good app/infrastructure and masses of experience in the technology behind all of this.
Unfortunately, they are largely a GPS-based Sports business and other GPS-related sectors. So on that basis, you might query if, for example, they have the necessary distribution channels (shops if you like) to flog all the stuff. Amazon works but if you were buying a fashion watch you wouldn’t go to the Garmin shop on their site.
Furthermore, the device lacks in 3 key areas:
- Garmin Connect will only count steps, effectively, from ONE device. So running steps from your 920 will not count if VIVOMOVE is your active step counter. Garmin will probably fix this by Xmas.
- Lacks newly announced MOVEIQ (recognises move types)
- No vibrating alerts
The one thing it has got going for it though is the looks.
Personally, I don’t wear this kind of device BUT it certainly looks good to my eyes. $200/£130 worth…not sure.
Add style to activity tracking with vívomoveTM from Garmin®
OLATHE, Kan. /May 4, 2016/Business Wire — Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), today announced vívomove, a fashionable analog watch with activity tracking1 features and one year battery life. Adding style to activity tracking the vívomove combines classic design with function, monitoring steps and sleep and reminding users when they’ve been inactive too long with its move bar. With one-year battery life, a water rating of 5ATM (50 meters) and a variety of interchangeable bands2 vívomove is wearable 24/7, no matter the occasion.
“The style-focused vívomove is an exciting addition to Garmin’s wide-ranging line of activity trackers, making it easier than ever to stay fashionable and active,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of worldwide sales. “Whether you’re heading into the boardroom or walking into a ballpark, vívomove has you and your steps covered.”
Designed to be worn all day vívomove features a timeless analog style face and is available in several models: the sleek vívomove sport, vívomove classic with leather straps, and the more upscale vívomove premium with leather straps and full steel body. With interchangeable leather and silicone strap options and a variety of fashionable case finishes including black, white, rose gold-tone, stainless steel, and gold- tone, the vívomove can be customized to a user’s personal style. It’s swim and shower safe3 with a water rating of 5 ATM, and has up to one year of battery life, no recharging needed.
The watch face features two bars that allow users to view step progress and inactivity at a glance. The bar on the left side of the face shows the progress toward a user’s personalized daily step goal. The red bar on the right side of the watch face reminds users when they’ve been inactive too long, filling half way after one hour of inactivity and building with every 15 minutes after that until its reset by walking for a couple of minutes. The vívomove also tracks how well users slept by monitoring movement and restlessness.
Throughout the day, the vívomove automatically syncs with the Garmin Connect Mobile app, a free online fitness community where users can track workouts, sleep patterns and trends, join online challenges to compete against friends and earn virtual badges. They can also receive Garmin Connect Insights, smart wellness insights personalized to each user that provide cues to help them reach goals, shout-outs when milestones have been met and relevant healthy tips from experts. Insights also show users how they are doing in comparison to people like them for extra motivation.
The vívomove is available in sport (black or white) for $149.99, classic (black with leather band or rose gold-tone with leather band) for $199.99, and premium (stainless steel with leather band or gold-tone steel with leather band) for $299.99.
oh i LOVE the white and rose gold!!! i would buy it just for the looks… but then i am a slave to fashion! But if it looks good and it does the job… I’m IN!
Release the credit-card-beast
HaaaaHAHAHAHAAAAA!!!! You are pure evil!!!! My lovely trusty white M400 will be devastated being ousted by a pretty ViviMove! ???