It’s sometime in 2021. the sun is shining and it’s a brave new world. COVID-19 has cured itself by mutating into something that just makes you sneeze a bit and Google has already rolled out the first Google-Fitbit smartwatch that just happens to be running the latest-greatest, feature-packed version of Wear OS on the super-new, 64bit SnapDragon 3300. Apple hasn’t released the Apple Watch 6 for some bizarre supply chain reason and I’ve just penned a speculative article about the allegedly ‘imminent’ Garmin Fenix 8.
Happy Days.
If I recall correctly, it was quite a while ago when Suunto tweaked their Wear OS app to now include sports mode customisation; 3rd party sensor support; full Google Fit integration; routing; route guidance; and a few more niceties. It really is now BY FAR the best sports app on Wear OS. Even people like me who have fond memories of the Polar M600 look back at the (nice) Polar Wear OS app and realise that the former King of Wear OS sports is now looking a bit featureless in comparison to the new kid on the block (Suunto).
Polar’s full app scrolled something like this graphic that I put together a while back in 2016:
Although word of Suunto’s world-beating Wear OS sports app has spread, many Wear OS users still buy cheap watches and when they try to install the Suunto Wear OS app on their Wear OS watch they get this message of incompatibility…grrr….
Maybe it’s deliberately disabled (the Polar app could only be used on the M600 AFAIK) or maybe there are hardware restrictions.
Anyway. The Suunto 7 is now selling reasonably well and the accountancy department at Suunto has taken on an extra person to add up all the extra sales numbers. Happy days in peaceful Finland too.
Then, one unexpected Thursday morning silence was broken in the Suunto reception as the new marketing intern burst in and said “But what if we make our app work on all Wear OS watches”
The Head of Adding Up suggested a paid-for app to do just that and the Head of Raising Awareness & Getting People to Upgrade From Inferior Watch Hardware also thought it was a good idea.
The ten-year-old in me would say, “And then I woke up“. But I won’t say that; wait a minute…
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This article needs to have some background….you know something? 🙂
I’m sure we both know lots of things 😉
there is no roadmap for suunto…i asked. at least not for my eyes but suunto are obviously considering the ongoing development of suunto7 wear os app.
🙂
Back in 2019, Polar reads this article and decides to release a successor to the M600 to coincide with the launch of the Snapdragon 3300. The dream is strong!
Nice dream! What’s your late night snack usually?
Two thoughts.
First, Suunto does make money from selling hardware. Until this changes, I don’t think we should expect a standalone app.
Second, you can run M600 app on Suunto 7: search the Suunto forums. The experience is meh though, as their app is optimized for a very specific resolution and rectangular shape. Also, you’d need to install it via Android dev tools.
Which brings me to my dream… Polar updates their app, adds support for Nightly Recharge, and releases it for Suunto 7 🙂
cheese…makes you dream I have it before races too.
1. yes.
2. i didn’t know that. with dev tools it doesn’t surprise me
we can both dream on.
Garmin should do that too, in both Watch OS and Wear OS. And sell Connect as a service.
i dont think the online implementation of connect is worth anything to a non garmin user, perhaps the app could be but a lot of it would build on the firstbeat stuff which wouldn’t be in non garmin watches (?)
garmin could modify the app to act as a workout recording tool for ios/android/wear os and watch os, that wont happen either 😉
i still reckon garmin will produce a wear os watch at some point. I wrote about it a year or more ago but that was more prompted by me knowing that suunto were looking at wear os. i’d certainly BET that garmin have considered it
The Suunto 7 and the news about the new SD3300 are a nice blow of fresh air in the scene. But i’ll wait until watches with the new hardware are available. Maybe the next iteration of Suunto 7, Polar M600 or others, even from Amazfit if they add WearOS in their next Stratos, for example. The first iteration of Coros with the Apex was interesting in quality / price, but then it seems that something hit them in the head and they went up to the clouds with prices or too much wine, who knows XD. Maybe they could keep an eye on WearOS too… and release a competitive sports watch with WearOS.
The key is be able to add apps with metrics, enough storage space for music, maps, etc, and, above all, a great battery life with WearOS, something that, sadly until now, is like pursue the Holy Grail of WearOS watches, that let use use them all the weekend, ultra trail, etc, without have to carry extra weight due to portable chargers and other devices. I’m also waiting for the solid state batteries for watches and cellphones. But that could take a bit more time although i’m sure that they are near to knock the door too. About all for watches as they have smaller batteries. Another history will be their prices initially.
Maybe with luck we’ll watch some this year, or the next one… what patience!!! Hope, hope… : )
I hear ya
Again I point to the Apple Watch. the stats are something like it has sold more than the sum total of EVERY other smart/sports watch added together.