Suunto Spartan TRAINER – the GPS bump is back, plus optical HR in an AMBIT-shell :: FCC filing

Suunto have registered their optical HR version of the SPARTAN at the FCC. Is the bump back?

It is called the SUUNTO SPARTAN TRAINER

Thank you TF for this link: https://fccid.io/document.php?id=3178841.

And thank you for the comments below (some of you are more observant than me, changes made).

Whilst the SPORT and ULTRA share the same charger it is clear that the TRAINER will require a different one. It looks to me a bit like an AMBIT one of some sort?

We already know that the optical HR unit is from Valencell. Have a look at the Scosche RHYTHM (Scosche: https://fccid.io/IKQ), below. The Suunto may, or may not, use the same physical sensor.

My bet would be that it is the same one BUT, having said that, a few little birds have whispered that SCOSCHE have some plans for new things early in 2017 at CES. A new sensor that the Suunto might use…possible.

Water resistance is shown as 50m for the TRAINER. Yet the ULTRA is 100m (Source: Suunto.com specs)

The form factor looks AMBITesque. 5 buttons and a GPS bump.

I would be VERY surprised indeed if they have been able to modify any of their planned SPARTAN TRAINER designs for the shell/GPS based on ‘feedback’ from the ULTRA and SPORT releases. A 2 or 3 month turnaround would be very quick.

For completeness I’ve included the image from the filing of May 24th Suunto SPARTAN Ultra/Sport which was announced two weeks later but not available until August which was when I received a PR sample. HOWEVER there were delays of several weeks in getting the production units out. So I don’t think you can draw the same conclusions about the amount of time it will take to get the TRAINER out ie you can’t add 9/10 weeks on to today (that was how long the ULTRA was approx.)

The bottom line is that Suunto could release this before Christmas. That was what they originally said they would do. Suunto (PR) advised me a few weeks ago that it would not be this year. I guess all I’m saying is that it COULD still be this year.

The name SPARTAN TRAINER. Can we read anything into that? Why wasn’t it SPORT HR (they’ve already used that I know) or similar. Maybe it could be a smaller device for thinner-wristed people with a bit less battery life than the SPORT. Unlikely as this may well require a different screen size and then different firmware to display on that screen. that’s opening up a whole can of worms that don’t need opening up right now. Speculation of course.

Boringly, it will most likely be a VERY similar spec as the SPORT but with oHR and maybe a tad less battery juice. But, with the bump, there is a wee bit of late 2016 gadget interest welling up inside me.

The more I think about it, the more I think that this is NOT the optical version of the SPARTAN SPORT that we were expecting. In fact I think this could well turn out to be a different product entirely – AMBIT-like really. The redesigned GPS BUMP and charging ports just do not sit right in my mind for what should be in the SPARTAN SPORT oHR.

OTHER READING: 1 Minute Review – Suunto SPARTAN SPORT <here>