Potentially exciting tri-watch times ahead as this little baby hits the shelves.
ESSENTIAL INFO: This post was written BEFORE the release. See (here) for some post-release info
We have the new Garmin Forerunner 935. To be clear: that’s NOT the 930; not the 930xt; and not the 935xt.
It s likely to be very comparable to the Fenix 5’s firmware and support oHR in the water. Although I’m not too bothered about the oHR underwater as I have forked out a small fortune on two excellent Garmin HRM-TRI straps.
(Here) was some earlier info when we discovered it will be released along with a very similar Forerunner 635 (Edit: maybe the info got them confused and it really is the fabled 635 some have waited for). Remember that the 935 will be similar too to the Fenix 5..that’s a lot of similarity to other models going on.
The earlier ‘revelations’ were that, whilst it will have Training Effect 2.0 ( TE2 ), it might not have a barometric altimeter (edit: it does). Perhaps. And, of course, the other revelation was that it was quite expensive.
Actually the Eur/$/£500 ish price tag for this and the Fenix 5 is quite clever. Whilst eye-wateringly expensive, new adopters will buy it in droves but the sales of the Fenix 3 and 920XT might still keep going too at their significantly lower price points.
Appelmoessite talks about new sensors. I’m half-expecting something like that too with a cross between SHFT and STRYD – and probably the same combined price point as STRYD+SHFT!! Lots of running power, new full-body metrics and integrated audio coaching. (This) post of mine from ages ago tried to predict all of that; so I’m hoping that post’s predictions from 2015 come true as that functionality will be a welcome addition to the market.
Although the reality of filings already made with the FCC is that the new pod will be ‘slightly improved’. That’s not very exciting I know. (Edit: Running Dynamics POD effectively for optical HR devices)
Image Source: appelmoessite
A fenix 5 MINUS barometric altimeter OR a 735xt PLUS smiw HR (and other software development…)
as you allude to. there needs to be a bit more to make it worthwhile buying. it’s probably thinner too (a thick watch is no good for getting a wetsuit over). if the ccessories are the new stuff then ‘so what’ they will need to sell expensive accessories that support LOTS of ant+ watches otherwise not enough people will buy them. i’m confused 😉
Well, this has been kind of a trend with Garmin (and to an extent Fitbit)–shove multiple devices with limited options (hardware), but supports conflicting software to other models.
I know it’s been said here, but it makes the whole “buy the watch with the options that you need” kind of impossible to accomplish. If this watch doesn’t come with the barometric altimeter, and you primarily do runs (for health and/or competition), why get this when the Fenix 5 in all it’s incarnations do? The 5s is the slim version, most likely in line with the 935 in size, and no doubt will be built of more sturdy materials (the forerunner line is chintzy, let’s not kid ourselves).
Does it come down to price? Well, again we’ve all at this side of the market have spent enough of equipment, so what is another $100 for a device that has “All” the trimmings in a better package? I not made out of money, but investing a bit more (and I mean a bit. Anything north of double the price is absurd) for the superior product makes all the sense in the world instead of a limited item that only gets some things I do, but not everything I do.
I get the underside of the market here. The vivo line for example is a low-end line with improved gradations, with the vivoactive HR being it’s big sell (and really, the midpoint device between low and high-end devices). Where does the Forerunner fit in then? A runner’s watch? Sure, if that’s all you want and frankly the forerunner 35 hr fits that. They could even stick a baro/alt in the next version and there you go..there’s your low-end upper market watch.
The rest of the forerunner line…are wandering out in the wilderness, especially when the price point is comparable to other manufacturers devices and those do far more than the forerunner line at those same price points. Even the vivoactive HR makes them somewhat useless. And you can argue that it might be a cheaper alternative for a triathlete to own…but why cheap out on something that gives you the one option you need…at the loss of not having the options for other things you do?
They (Garmin and their ilk) flood the market with too many OPTIONS all the time. Having choices are a good thing….having too many waters down all the choices. Ask yourself that the next time you step into a restaurant and the menu is 6 pages deep. Did all those choices make you feel good, or did they overwhelm you and you have no idea what to get (I just ask what is popular and get that…or ask for the special of the day). Garmin does this and it’s the reason (my opinion) the software support for their monstrous lineup gets muddled or just outrights goes on a pill for six months after launch.
Sorry, I tend to write of wall-o-text. You can’t always make a point in a few sentences though.
great stuff. I think garmin are trying to flood the market with variants to eb sure to offer something everywhere HOWEVER they now seem to have realised that this, in the past, has come at a cost of support and dev and bugs and a bad reputation for bugs. That’s why I reckon they have streamlined hardware/software development to make a ‘master firmware device’ and then turn various bit off and maybe add a cheaper shell and maybe take out or replace a component or two (gps/oHRM/altimeter/wifi). voila. their mid and lower end devices become EASY to create.
as to the pricing. I have to say that at Eur/$/£200-250 then that’s where the value lies for me and I consider myself a ‘serious’ athlete. If I was just training and racing and not doing the5krunner-thing then I would stick with ambit/v800/fenix3/920xt as MY PERSONAL top-end. but as this is sort of a hobby-cum-job then I’m about to spend a grand on two expensive devices!! 🙁 🙁 I DEFINATLEY wouldn’t buy them otherwise.
suunto are going to crack out a few variants of the Spartan over the coming years too I bet.
polar…maybe not. the only variant to the v800 seemed to be the NOYA package and a few differently coloured bands
tomtom…again different good quality components. reduced functionalty (almost to a bare minimum) add in a little bit of innovation around 2 or 3 very similar variants. MAKE IT WORK PRETTY WELL and command a slight premium.
wahoo – won’t conquer the world with one device. their innovation is clever but sooner or later they will either come unstuck or get bought
lezyne…seem to be trying, addingin in some value for money innovation. prob they are operating on low margins. that model requires VOLUME to make profits. Clealry Garmin have volume not Lezyne. good for trying tho.
https://apps.fcc.gov/eas/GetApplicationAttachment.html?id=3280544
That is the new pod you speak of (I believe).
Garmin seems keen on keep rising prices… Honestly, I’m out. I don’t mind paying premium prices, silly even, but the experience better be up to it. Garmin connect and their but infested firmwares are not even close.