FTC: Affiliate Disclosure: All links pay commissionReading Time: 26 minutes

Sports Watch Update July 2021

V2.351 – 27 July 2021

This frequently refreshed post shows which GPS Run, Bike and Triathlon sports devices are rumoured to be pending release, available NOW, DISCONTINUED or which are due to be superseded. Elsewhere on the site, there are detailed opinions about specific models, future devices and sports tech trends. Oh! and LOTS of detailed hands-on reviews on virtually all of the key run/tri watches and bike computers that you can BUY NOW.

This is a LONG, info-packed article, use the Index to skip to the section you want. If you are here for the first time and interested in ‘future sports devices & feature sports tech developments‘ then this entire post and the one linked at the end should be of interest – some info is based on part-substantiated rumours and extrapolation of past product release cycles. Most of these new product predictions will happen but the precise timing differs. Similarly, most of the futures/features predictions will be proved to be mostly correct.

Table of Contents | Jump To

Recent Highlights and the INBOUND Queue

2021 is turning out to be a good year for sports tech as we start to see the appearance of slipped developments from last year, the expansion of known technologies and some genuine feature innovations. Add to those the fact that many watches and bike computers from several vendors have 2 or 3-year lifecycles which just so happen to end this year.

The full list of everything, past & future is towards the end of this post. The general trend is one of the iterative releases of bike computers and sports/fitness watches where technical components are updated and, usually, one major new software feature introduced.

We should also see the next tranche of bike power meters from most manufacturers with Favero already confirming a new variant for Assioma. Perhaps we shall also some product innovation and competition in the accessories space with competitors to WHOOP and STRYD as well as a new swathe of Dura-Ace 12-speed, Wireless goodness? Here are headlines from recent months:

IMMINENT: Xplova X2 (small format bike computer)
IMMINENT: Mobvoi Ticwatch E3 (Wear OS w/Snapdragon 4100)
ANNOUNCED: Favero Assioma Duo-shi
EXPECTED next: Garmin Edge 1040
EXPECTED 2021: mioEXP triathlon watch.
EXPECTED by some but I’m not sure: Garmin Forerunner 655 + Wrist Running Power?
EXISTS/PROBABLE: Garmin Vector AIR, RALLY AIR??
EXPECTED: Forerunner 255 & 655 (or 245+/645+ /Music). Likely date Q3.2021 (no firm intel)
EXPECTED: Edge 540 and 840 possibly Q3.2021 (no firm intel)
EXPECTED: Vivoactive 5/Vivoactive 5 LTE (Late Q3.2021, some intel)
EXPECTED: Fenix 7 (Summer 2021, other intel suggests later in 2022)
EXPECTED: Apple Watch 7 September 2021
EXPECTED: Apple Watch 8 & Watch 8 Explorer September 2022
EXPECTED: Apple Watch SE Gen 2 2022
EXPECTED: Huawei Watch 3
EXPECTED: Oppo Watch 2 (Jul 27 2021)
LEAKED: Garmin Edge 1040, garmin.com leak reported here. Likely in 2021.
RUMOURED: Garmin 955 (Leaked) Expected features here. Sources say September 2021. plausible, I favour later
RUMOURED: Garmin 955 LTE! (Leaked) sources say September 2021, I suspect 2022
RUMOURED: Google Pixel Watch (again)
STATED: Fitbit will release Q3 Wear OS models.
STATED: Samsung Galaxy Watch4 variant for Wear OS august 27
POSSIBLE: MARQ v2? v1 released circa 13 MAR 2019…a two-year lifecycle could give this perhaps planned for 2021.
RELEASED: Garmin 945LTE
RELEASED: Forerunner 55
RELEASED: Wahoo Element Bolt (gen 2 model)
REL:EASED: Suunto 9 Peak
RELEASED: Garmin Descent MK2s (small version)
RELEASED: Garmin Rally power meter pedals (rs/xc/rk 100/200, dual single, spd, spd-sl, Look/Keo aka Vector 4, up to $1200)
RELEASED: Polar Ignite 2
RELEASED Polar Vantage M2
RELEASED: Garmin Enduro Watch x2
RELEASED: Garmin Venu 2/Venu 2s
RELEASED: Apple AirTag (although I’m not quite sure why I’m listing it here)
RELEASED: Realme Watch 2 and 2 Pro (cheap, proprietary OS)

Monthly Commentary

Q2.2021 was a little quieter than I hoped and I wouldn’t expect Q3 to be too different as we await September announcements. Garmin has a limited number of launch slots that were taken by Enduro, RALLY, Venu2/2S, FR55, and FR945LTE, although Polar provided some excitement with two refreshed models M2 and Ignite 2. The new Wahoo Bolt has livened things up a bit and we need a bit more on the excitement front.

There are not as many new rumours as usual for sports watches, at least none that I can mention. Conversely, there are a few smartwatch PR companies creating a lot of noise, but all that ‘sound and fury’ probably signifies very little other than a large marketing budget.

Garmin Running & Triathlon Tech for 2021

If you analyse previous release cycles, a LOT of Garmin products are due for a refresh this year.
For example, the new Garmin Enduro Watch for Ultra Runners is not even a refreshed 655 but perhaps the last of the Fenix 6 variants.

The Garmin RALLY pedal power meter line indicates the start of a mini-trend where we will see pedal power meters gain compatibility with the major pedal types/cleat types (MTB), SPD-SL (Road), and Look/KEO.

There is very little recent chatter around the Forerunners 655 & 955. Perhaps there is too much crossover with the small format Forerunner 745 & 945LTE? Perhaps there will never be a 655 if Garmin decides to simplify its sometimes-confusing product range? Or probably the new Enduro has taken the place previously occupied by the 645 as the top running-specific watch.

The 945LTE and 745 are both small format watches. Thus don’t dismiss a medium-format 955 as a genuine replacement to the 945 this year. Nor should you dismiss the possibility of a true mid-market triathlon watch from Garmin (the 745 isn’t that).

The Venu SQ and Venu 2 signal Garmin’s continued intent to take the smartwatch market seriously and Garmin Lily backs that point up further by attacking the small-wristed, female market squarely. These markets are incredibly competitive and Garmin’s sporting edge is eroded bit by bit each year. Apple obviously has a stranglehold on the iOS market for smartwatches and Google/Fitbit may make Garmin’s job ever-harder in the Android space later this year. Nevertheless, Garmin will roll the Vivoactive 5 dice one more time between Sep 2021 and Jan 2022. This will be a make-or-break time for Garmin and a failure to progress against Apple/Fitbit and Samsung in the pure-smart space would mark a slow, long-term turning point for their fortunes.

For all new higher-end iterations from Garmin in 2021 expect to see LTE as an option, perhaps even in the high-end bike computer formats too eg an Edge 1040 was inadvertently leaked 😉

Garmin has just about refreshed all their accessories to include BLE and ANT+ support. The obvious omission is the footpod. Whilst I would like to see a direct STRYD-competitor, it’s more likely that Garmin will introduce wrist-based power SOON and PERHAPS also a new iteration of the RD-POD

Suunto, Polar, Wahoo, Coros & Other Sport-focussed GPS Watches

In 2020 Polar introduced Grit X which builds on the latest generation of Polar features as well as adding in some new ones that increase the Grix X’s suitability for outdoor adventures. Then, Polar refreshed its high-end multisport watch, the Polar Vantage V2 to mixed reviews. The V2 had new hardware plus all the existing Vantage 1 features topped up with all the new features from the Polar Grit X. Their portfolio was mostly completed this year with the Vantage M2 and highly competent Ignite 2. Next up logically would be a new Unite and then a premium Titanium version of the Vantage V2 (no intel on those). However, an outside bet would be that Google is subsidising many companies to re-target the Wear OS market and perhaps Polar has taken that bait and also decided to build on its Wear OS competence from several years ago with the sweet M600?

Coros Vertix tries to compete against the Garmin Fenix, whereas their Apex models are sporty-smart hybrids in a similar vein to Polar & Garmin Venu. Compared to Polar, Coros also has well-made hardware, more features but a poorer platform. Thus Coros historically found it harder to justify their pricing as a premium competitor in their chosen segments. That changed with the Coros Pace 2 which is very highly featured, with novel features and at a great price. Again, it’s the platform that lets down the Pace 2 but it still sold well because of the price/feature combination. This enabled Coros to rethink its strategy going forward and it has revamped its distribution but doubled down on the existing platform eg with the nice EvoLab. All of this leads me to guess we will see refreshed Apex and Vertix models soon enough.

Polar M2 and Coros Pace 2 thus go head-to-head on many levels with each having quite stark advantages over the other. Yet the two are relatively evenly matched as an overall offering and both can sell well compared to Garmins at the same price points…unlike at the higher price levels where most vendors struggle to counter Garmin’s products. The ageing Suunto 5 slots in here as well with some deep discounting making it an interesting alternative.

Suunto 9 Baro/Peak join the fray and tries to compete against Fenix, Vertix and Grit X. It’s hard to see how anything but Garmin Fenix will dominate the higher-priced end of the market. Ultimately the Garmin dominance will stifle the competition as soon as Suunto et al realise they just can’t win unless they are really, really clever. The smaller Suunto 9 Peak should sell well simply because of the form factor however their best long-term prospects lie in the East and in trying to crack more mass-market needs there. I think we could see a Suunto 7 Gen 2 this year but only if the first generation was successful (IDK if it was and I have no intel on Gen 2)

The Wahoo Rival competes against the V2/935/945 as a true sports watch. Like the V2 it can’t match the Garmins on a feature-for-feature basis, however, Wahoo has some key benefits over Polar because of the loyalty to their brand, the openness of their platform, and their interesting portfolio of products.

The sporty-smart-fitness watches then sit as uneasy bedfellows at the low/mid-price points, all trying to differentiate themselves from the out-and-out smartwatches made by the smartphone manufacturers (Samsung, Apple, etc). The main differentiator of these products seems to be their claimed sportiness/healthiness. Ultimately an app or two on an Apple Watch will do the same job(s) and therein lies the long-term fate of companies like Polar & Garmin.

Cheaper sporty-fitness watches include the Polar Ignite 2 and its GPSless sibling the Unite. Perhaps you might bundle in the Suunto 3 Fitness to this category too. Premium models here include Garmin Vivoactive/Venu and Suunto 7. I don’t really ‘get’ the Unite/Suunto 3 part of the market but the others all have compelling arguments in their favour. That said they are all competing in a confusing, competitive part of the market and sometimes it’s the one who shouts loudest that is hard to beat…Apple.

Q3. 2021 sees these brands & products at an interesting juncture.

Polar has thrown the dice for 2021. There might still be a Unite 2 but their future will probably comprise platform improvements, case variants and new features. Wear OS revisited? Maybe.
Suunto has more scope to refresh their product line further in 2021. Will they boldly push an S7 gen 2? A refreshed Suunto 5 could also be interesting but the market has moved on a lot since its original launch and more than a simple refresh is needed to beat Coros & Polar.
Coros are likely to iterate rather than release new models. They have a conundrum though, the app needs significant work and, with the exception of the P2, Coros must realise that their company strength is “features” and their products can sell REALLY WELL if they get the price right. Thus if a next-gen Vertix could be $200-$300 cheaper, then it might be a game-changer. At the current price levels, it’s just tickling the toes of the Fenix 6 rather than even being a thorn in the side of the Fenix 5/5+
I can’t see Wahoo releasing another watch in the foreseeable future but as a company, they have a huge range of options open for their progress. I guess the next watch move is either a Gen 2 product in late 2022 or a cut-down run-only product before that (I don’t know)
Smaller companies like Sigma, Mio Labs and one or two others may well treat us to a good-value and focussed product this year.

From all that, what I see as interesting are a Suunto 7 gen 2 (2022 would fit past product lifecycles); a feature-full & revamped Coros data platform (unlikely); and many more Wahoo RIVAL features like track mode (will take time). None of those is a certainty. In fact, I’d probably bet they don’t happen! Which could make for a boring 2021 unless you are a Garmin-lover or a Wear OS lover.

Smart Fitness, Wear OS, WatchOS & Similar Smarts

Finally, the Google+Fitbit deal is done. Finally Google has said stuff will happen in 2021. Finally!

Although not official, we shall say ‘Bye Bye’ to Fitbit’s FitOS and Wear OS will swell in size, notably because the next generation of Fitbit devices will likely run WearOS. Plus it’s confirmed that 2021 will see Samsung make a move in Wear OS, which will add significant credibility to the platform.

After a near-silent 2020, we shall see a lot of activity elsewhere in Wear OS as (non-Fitbit/Google) companies build on the new generation of SnapDragon processors (4100) with a new WearOS 3.0 – that mostly means Fossil but others too. Fossil is clearing out their Gen 5 stock and has finished introducing some Gen5/LTE variants, probably before the launch of their Gen 6 in Q3.2021. It will be interesting to see if Oppo/Zepp/RealMe/BKK can take over Fossil’s mantle in the Wear OS space, it looks like WearOS is one of their strategic targets and the company is already in talks with Google about expanding the feature set of Wear OS. At the same time some vendors, like Mobvoi, are considering alternatives to Wear OS.

2021 is the year when Google MUST act with a significantly improved Wear OS 3.0, however, the Fitbit acquisition might delay Google’ hardware efforts (Pixel) into Jan 2022. So Can Fossil and Samsung(!) come up with the goods sooner?

Starting this year, the *BIG* Wear OS ‘Bounce’ will come from

Re-purposed Fitbit devices ported to Wear OS
Accelerated take-up of the new SnapDragon 4100/4100+ processors (eg by Fossil)
New strategic movers like Oppo, although at least one Oppo watch will skip Wear OS.
At least one Samsung model will move from Tizen to Wear OS. Perhaps ultimately the whole company
Casio has just released their first Wear OS watch on G-Shock (Protrek too), there could be more
There appears to be a bezel-less Google Pixel due for 2021, perhaps branded as a Fitbit by Google
A significant Wear OS platform update as announced in May

Amazfit, Xiaomi, Realme, Redmi, TicWatch, Zepp and others will continue in the battle of the budget smartwatches. Several of these have significant sales figures in some Far Eastern markets and some of the products might even be described as increasingly competent. Indeed what we are perhaps seeing right now are the Chinese companies building up significant competencies and sales volumes in their domestic markets before using that strength in other geographic markets.

Oh. I almost forgot 😉 There might be an Apple Watch 7 in Sep 2021, preceded by watchOS 8 in August. That’s just a longshot guess though 😉 (errrr)

Bike Computers – Hope or Hopeless?

Garmin is clearly dominant in this sector and Wahoo is clearly the main challenger brand. The jury is firmly OUT on the potential longterm impact of Karoo 2 but it is ‘one of the great hopes’ with a realistic chance of success

Other than an occasionally misplaced FCC filing, Wahoo is very good at keeping quiet, so don’t expect any leaks…just hope quietly.

Apple, Google and maybe “China” will eventually clean out the watch markets but Garmin holds a dominant position with bike computers. There are many challengers to Garmin’s Edge Series but only Wahoo/Hammerhead seem to be coherent challengers and they are lagging behind if the number of features is how you judge bike computers. Will Bolt 2/Roam 2 be able to withstand an onslaught from Edge 540/840? It’s an interesting market position to debate as Garmin Edge will NOT pull further ahead either in terms of features or market share as their tech is already well-advanced and their market position too dominant. Catching up in each of those respects is MUCH easier than pulling further ahead. Interestingly we may next see an Edge 1040 (leak first reported here) which surprises me as I’m not sure what it can bring to the party in terms of new capabilities, other than LTE, Solar and a new GNSS chipset….well apart from those!!

How difficult is it for smaller companies to catch or even beat Garmin at cycling? Read this: How to Beat a Garmin Edge. The answer is ‘VERY‘. If there is ever some new product to beat Garmin it will likely be another device based on Android. Why?… Answer: “apps” and a shorter, easier product development cycle, which sounds a bit like the Karoo.

I suspect that Garmin doesn’t care too much about lower price points, so Bryton, Sigma, Lezyne, CatEye, Polar and other smaller bike computer companies can fight out the price-per-feature battle in that very messy and less profitable arena.

There are good bike computers like Stages, Sigma ROX and the high-end Bryton models but all of them, in my opinion, lack that certain ‘je ne sais quoi‘ that could propel them to the same levels as Wahoo. And when you contemplate that the ever-successful Wahoo BOLT prospered even past its 4th birthday, then you have to conclude that it’s not high technology that bike riders necessarily want. Maybe it’s the ‘just works’ factor or the platform or the brand image.

Garmin also doesn’t seem to care too much about MTB, gravel or e-bike specific models. Maybe they know something that we don’t? (A: probably!). Maybe the SPD Rally pedals are the first indication that Garmin will take off-road more seriously. (Don’t forget, cargo biking, electric bikes and many other bike markets are growing and might be attractive to Garmin)

Lists of All GPS Sports Watches & Bike Computers

This is my opinion of current & future devices across the GPS running/cycling market. Updates to this will be issued as and when information emerges which may include rumours, although please note that any information provided to me under NDA by manufacturers will *NOT* appear here and I won’t talk about it as I always honour agreements I make either written or verbal. So there will be a few more surprises over and above all of this 😉 I have at least a reasonable level of confidence that watches predicted here for the future are broadly correct – timings and functionality may NOT be what I expect. Please let me know of errors or omissions. At the end of the table is a discussion about current issues and sports tech trends. Thank you. Enjoy.

Garmin – Current and Rumoured Models

🔴 = Discontinued or effectively discontinued and replaced

🔵 = Expected Future Model or ‘very recent’.

Polar, Suunto, Wahoo, Fitbit, Apple, etc – Current and Rumoured Models

Category Links to either a review, opinion article or your local AmazonLinkComments

Manufacturer	Category	Review, opinion article Links	Price Check Link	Comments
adidas	Run	🔴Smart Run		Discontinued
Amazfit (Xiaomi-Huami/Zepp)	Run	Bip (#A1608 – Bip S Supercedes)	Price Check	Current products

		Pace (#A1612, #A1602)	Price Check
			Huami is renaming to ZEPP
		Bip Lite (#A1915)

		Bip S (2020)

		Ares (Rugged, hexagonal Bip, May 2020)

		Xiaomi Mi Watch Color (2020), plus sports edition
Amazfit (Xiaomi-Huami)	Run	Pace 2		Pace 2 is Stratos. The only difference between the Chinese (A1609 Amazfit Pace 2) and the International version (A1619 Amazfit Stratos) is the firmware.
Amazfit (Xiaomi-Huami)	Run	Pace 2		Amazfit Stratos 2 means Stratos (A1619)
Amazfit (Xiaomi-Huami)	Fitness	Verge, Verge Lite,		Current model A1811 (Lite #A1818), as over 1 Dec 2018 now selling in the USA. Verge 2 / Nexo imminent with eSIM.

		Verge 2 / Nexo
		🔵 GTR, GTR2		GTR2 released Aug2020
		🔵GTS , GTS2		GTS2 announced Aug 2020, it’s their version of the apple watch
		🔵Neo		Garmin Instinct rip off Aug 2020

Amazfit (Xiaomi-Huami)	Run/Tri	🔴STRATOS 1/2		Current, Multisport 2018 watch. Intl versions v1 & v2 are same.

		🔵STRATOS 3		STRATOS 3 Aug 2019 – model #A1929

				Huami Amazfit T-Rex – model #A1919,

		🔵T-Rex

		🔵Ares
Apple	Fitness	🔴Watch Series 1 (Sport),		Current, great pricing on the AW3 beware inferior hardware compared to AW4.

		🔴 Watch Series 2 w/Nike,

		Series 3 GPS+Cellular,
Apple	Fitness	🔴 Watch Series 4 w/Nike		Current. A notable hardware upgrade from the AW3. Discontinued
Apple	Fitness	🔵 Watch Series 5		Aluminium, stainless steel, titanium and ceramic versions as well as the 40mm and 44mm versions. Also a Nike co-branded version.
Apple	Fitness	🔵 Watch Series 6 🔵 Watch Series SE Apple Watch Series 7 – Sep 2021		Runs WatchOS 7 WatchOS 8 due Summer 2021, Watch7 might bring a circular watch face or sliders to replace the crown
Bontrager	Bike	TREK Ride Time Elite, Trip 300, Bontrager Garmin Edge 1030		low spec own-branded devices and Bontrager-branded Garmin device
Bryton	Bike	RIDER 100, 310, 330, 410, 450h, 530E, Rider 530 T, aero 60, one, Rider 860, Rider 420		Current, 450E is the top model @<$200 with all functions even 310 @<$150 supports a PM (Full model list here). Aero 60 is a fully-featured bikenav. The Sep 2019 Rider 860 and Rider 420 might see the 860 as the new top-end model built on Android – a first for Bryton
Bryton	Bike	RIDER numerous other models		Effectively Discontinued
Casio	Outdoors	Pro Trek Smart WSD-F20		Current, replaced by F20/F30 announced Aug 2018

	WearOS
Casio	Fitness	Pro Trek Smart WSD-F21 HR		Sep 2019. Updated F20 with oHR

	WearOS
Casio	Outdoors	Pro Trek Smart WSD-F30		Announced: Jan 2019, replacing WSD-F20. Expect a WSD-F40 in Jan 2020 😉
	Casio		Outdoors

WearOS		Casio G-Shock Move GBD-H1000 G-Shock Pro GSW-H1000 (Wear OS)
CatEye	Bike	STEALTH 50, Stealth EVO, STEALTH EVO, STRADA, PADRONE Smart+, Stealth evo+ CC-GL51 (2015), full spec’d Aventura		2016 models are current (full model list here), Avventura might only be available in Japan


COROS	Run/Tri	Pace Multisport M1		Current, the Garmin 735XT lookalike

		Pace 2		2020 should see an update of the Pace, as Coros return to revisit their road running roots
COROS	Run/Tri	Apex 42mm 46mm		Current Oct 2018. Highly credible endurance run and tri alternative. A competent small format is available. Jan 2019 a special edition announced for 46mm.
COROS	Run/Tri	Apex PRO		Q4.2019 Somewhere between Apex and Vertix
COROS	Outdoors	Vertix		Current May 2019. Premium case and SpO2
CooSpo	Bike	BC200		Current (hey! they made the effort to include power meter support, I made the effort to include it in this list, I’ve no idea who they are)
Epson	Run/Tri	🔴ProSense 17, 🔴ProSense 57, 🔴ProSense 307, 🔴ProSense 347		Discontinued

		🔴SF-series
Facebook	Fitness newOS			After failing to buy Fitbit, Facebook will enter the market possibly with WearOS possibly in 2022.
Fossil	Fitness WearOS	Sport		Nov-18
Fitbit	Fitness	🔴Blaze	Price Check	Replaced by Versa
Fitbit	Fitness	🔴Charge, Charge 2		Discontinued
Fitbit	Fitness	Charge 3	Price Check	Current
Fitbit	Fitness	🔴Versa,		THE current SE version has Fit Pay payments

		🔵 Versa 2		Versa Lite – March 2019
				Versa 2 – available 15 September 2019 with Aug 28th Announcement
		Versa 3 / Versa 3 SENSE		September 2020
Fitbit	Fitness	🔴Charge HR (Band)		Discontinued, replaced by Charge 2, Charge 3, Charge 4 (2020).
Fitbit	Fitness	Ionic		Current, September 2017
Fitbit	Fitness	Ionic 2		Overdue, might never happen
Fitbit	Fitness	Ionic Adidas		Announced Feb 2018, has an Adidas app
Fitbit	Fitness	🔴Surge		Superseded by Ionic
Fossil	Fitness WearOS	Puma SmartWatch		Sep 2019 (Prob same watch inside as the Fossil sport)

		Michael Kors MKGO		Sep 2019 (Prob same watch inside as the Fossil sport)

		Emporio Armani Smartwatch 3		Emporio Armani Smartwatch 3
Fossil	Fitness	Sport		Sport Uses 2019 Snapdragon processor. Fossil is a BIG WearOS watch producer for many sub-brands. Sport uses a new 3100 processor.

	WearOS
Fossil	Fitness WearOS	Gen 5 Gen 6 (Q3.2021)		Still 3100 chipset but looks sweet and runs smoothly enough 4100/4100+ chpset for fall premium models
Giant	Bike	NeosTrack		Cycling Computers. The NeosTrack is a reasonably high-spec model.

		Neos ANT+

		AXACT 13W
Google	Fitness WearOS	Pixel Smartwatch		To be released in 2020 maybe. Unclear if a SPORT/FITNESS version will be released as well.
Decathlon	Bike	BC900		Cycling Computer, records power
iGSPORT	Bike	iGSPORT iGS618		Cycling Computer, I think these guys are owned by Xiaomi and could be one to watch at the budget end
Hammerhead	Bike	Karoo		Feb 2018.

				Expect even more significant firmware updates throughout 2020
Hammerhead	Bike	Karoo 2		Cycling Computer, small format, Xmas 2020
Huawei	Fitness WearOS/Harmony OS	Fit, Watch 2 Sport, Watch GT Active	Price Check	WearOS and a good spec. Current (Watch 2 was 2017 with an incremental 2018 update) The Fit was effectively the “Watch 1 Sport”.
		Watch Gt2e		Watch 3 Watch GT and this was codenamed FORTUNA (GT is not WearOS anymore)
		Watch 3 (Mid 2021)		To run Harmony OS
Huawei	Fitness WearOS	Honor Magic		WearOS and a good spec, November 2018
Huawei	Sport ?WearOS?	Honor GS Pro/Kanon		Q4.2020, TomTom map partnership could be interesting
Huawei	Proprietary Android?	Watch Fit
Lezyne	Bike	Mini, Macro Plus GPS (Macro, Macro Easy, Micro, Micro Watch, Super Pro (Super GPS), Mega, Watch variants		MEGA announced July 2018

				MACRO EASY GPS announced Jul 2019

				Macro Plus & Super Pro are revamped from earlier models, announced Jul 2019 with FE-C…cheap, sturdy and highly featured.

				Full, current list here
LG	Fitness WearOS	Watch Sport	Price Check	Current, apparently one of the better WearOS devices – certainly spec looks the best. Watch2 has seen e-sim in China only
LG	Fitness WearOS	LM-W315, LM-305, LM-W325, LM-W319,		LM-W315 could be called ICONIC. With one of the other models being the ICONIC SPORT. LM-W319 could be as soon as Sep 2018 (likely this is now the W7 which is a non-sports hybrid.) but a Watch3 derivative will be 2019.
Mont Blanc	Fitness WearOS	Summit 2		Announced – several quite advanced sporty features
MIO/MiTAC/Magellan	Bike	Cyclo 605,		Nice devices. The 505HC appears to now be discontinued and replaced with a slightly superior 605HC (Q2.2017). Other models include Cyclo 210 (re-announced Aug2018?), 400, 405, 405HC, Discover/Plus (May 2020)

		Discover		Unsure of the situation in USA with sister company MAGELLAN. Who have dated ECHO/SWITCH run/bike products

		Discover Plus

		🔴505HC+ others
Mio Labs	Running	🔴 Mio Alpha 2		revolutionary at the time
Mio Labs	Running/Triathlon	mioEXP		First sports watch in a loooong time by Mio. in fact since about 2015. Triathlon focussed and looking good for Q4.2020
Misfit	Fitness WearOS	Vapor	Price Check	WearOS. Replaced by Vapor 2
Misfit	Fitness WearOS	Vapor 2		WearOS. Current.
MiVia	Fitness	Run 350		2017 Fitbit Versa look-alike
Mobvoi	Fitness	Ticwatch 2 aka Ticwatch Active		2017 budget sports watch with GPS & Music
Mobvoi	Fitness WearOS	Ticwatch E2		2018 budget sports watch with GPS & Music, the replacement for Ticwatch E
Mobvoi	Fitness WearOS	Ticwatch S2		CES2019 replacement for Ticwatch S (ie S1). S=Sport
Mobvoi	Fitness WearOS	Ticwatch S		2017 WearOS 2.0 budget sports watch. Ticwatch E is a cheaper and non-sport version. Ticwatch 2, Active and Classic are different – not WearOS. Replaced by S2.
Mobvoi	Fitness WearOS	Ticwatch Pro Ticwatch Pro 3 Ticwatch E3		WearOS 2.0, Pro 3 & E3 have snapdragon 4100
		🔵 Ticwatch Pro 4G LTE 🔵 new Ticwatch Pro Jul 2019 with LTE (USA only).


Moto	Fitness WearOS			Current
		360 Sport – 2nd Gen/Sport	Price Check
		Gen 3 November 2019 Moto G Smartwatch,(Summer 2021) Moto Watch ,(Summer 2021) Moto One,(Summer 2021)
New Balance	Fitness WearOS	RunIQ		WearOS. Current
Omata	Bike	Omata One	Price Check	Trendy Bike Computer Current
BKK, OnePlus	Fitness	Likely WearOS Sister brand RealMe introduce Watch 2 and Watch 2 Pro		Probably due Q4.2020, probably based heavily on the Oppo Watch RealMe are cheap and proprietary OS. june 2021.
BKK, Oppo	Fitness Android Fitness Wear OS	Watch Watch (Wear OS Version) Watch 2		Looks like an Apple Watch with very limited EU/USA availability as of July 2020. Based on Android Wear OS version released 31 Jul 2020 Watch 2 – 27 Jul 2021
Ordnance Survey	Bike	OS Horizon GPS		High-quality MAPS on a bikenav

		OS Velo GPS

		OS Trail Bike GPS

		OS Trail 2 Bike GPS (2019)
Polar	Bike	V660		V650 refresh 2020? Well Overdue…perhaps never
Polar	Run/Tri	🔴 Vantage V Vantage V2		V800 replacement

				There are no published plans to take the features any further. Polar will fix bugs though.
				V2 new for October 2020
				Who knows if they will iterate either the hardware or software.
Polar	Run/Tri	Vantage V Titanium		high-end case variant of the Vantage V
Polar	Run/Tri/Outdoors	Grit X		Polar Grit X – outdoors version of Vantage V
Polar	Run/Tri	🔴 Vantage M Vantage M2		More run-focussed than the V model and a bit more than the M430.
				I’m not convinced there will be a Vantage M lite model ie something to theoretically replace the M200. Looks like the Ignite/Unite covers that.
				No intel on the M2. My guess would be Q1.2021
Polar	Fitness	A370		A360 replacement with linked-GPS
Polar	Fitness	A380		I guess you could speculate that there is an A380 due but I would not be so sure that Polar (or anyone else beyond Garmin/Fitbit) will pursue a premium band format.
Polar	Fitness	🔵 Ignite Ignite 2		Fitness & Running watch. With GPS. Scope for a 3Fitness-like model with no GPS. Scope also to beef up the shell quality a little.
Polar	Run	M200		Entry-level oHR running/sports watch 2016. Replacement due in 2020 maybe? M200 looks out-of-date
Polar	Run	🔴M400		Replaced by M430 in Q1.2017
Polar	Run	M430		An optical M400, released. this is mostly replaced by the Vantage M, although the Vantage M has notable extra stuff kinda making it a model higher. M430 has been confirmed as remaining in the Polar product set as a full-featured running watch BUT it will not receive new functionality.

				M430 looks out-of-date
Polar	Bike	🔴M450		Replaced by M460 in Q1.2017
Polar	Bike	M460		M450 with STRAVA LIVE. M460 looks out-of-date
Polar	Run WearOS	M600		WearOS sports watch for Android
Polar	Bike	V650		A good Bike Nav Cycling device. Might get an ANT+ refresh but fine as-is. Does Polar want to go down the route of giving this proper onboard maps?
Polar	Run/Tri	🔴V800		One of the greatest multisport watches of all-time, replaced by Vantage
Samsung	Fitness	🔴Gear Sport	Price check	Current (Gear Fit Pro is BAND format and the Samsung Gear Fit Plus could be the 2018 version of that)
Samsung	Fitness	🔴Galaxy Watch Active		Galaxy Sport is Galaxy Watch Active
Samsung	Fitness	🔵 Galaxy Watch Active2		Jul-19
		Galaxy Watch2 (never existed)
		Galaxy Watch3 (SM-R840) Galaxy Watch 4		Aug 2020 Galaxy Watch 4 is leaked in Feb 2021. Released 27Aug with Wear OS

Sigma Sport	Bike	Rox GPS 7.0, ROX GPS 10.0, Rox GPS 11.0, Rox 12.0 Sport, id.TRI, id.FREE		Good feature set, current.

				Rox 12.0 Sport June 2018 looks like a massive leap forward for the company. Highly competent bikenav

				id.TRI is a very interesting budget TRI offering

				Full list of Sigma products here
Skagen	Fitness WearOS	Falster 2		With GPS & oHR added, this now counts as a sports watch. It aims to be seen as the prettiest WearOS

		Falster 3		Falster 3 uses the fastest processor
Sony	Fitness WearOS	Smartwatch 3 SWR50	Price Check	WearOS. Current
SoWatch	Fitness	SoWatch		IndieGogo – Sports and other stuff
Pioneer	BIKENAV	SGX-CA500, SGX-CA600		Cycling Computer looks nice. OSM, ANT+, power

				Full list here
Specialized	Bike	SpeedZone Sport / SpeedZone II		Basic Cycling Computers
SRM	Bike	PowerControl 7 (PC7) / 8 (PC8)		Cycling Computer
Stages	Bike	Dash (L10)		Cycling Computer. cheap and well-featured
Stages	Bike	Dash L50, M50		New models for release Q1-2.2019
Suunto	Various	Ambit 3 variants (Peak, run, Sport…)		Still great devices. In many ways superior.
Suunto	Various	Ambit 4		The SPARTAN TRAINER is the replacement to the AMBIT3, at least in terms of looks.
Suunto	Various	🔴 Ambit/Ambit 2		Effectively Discontinued
Suunto	Run/Tri	🔴 SPARTAN Sport		Current, OK to buy now
Suunto	Run/Tri	🔴 SPARTAN Sport with oHR (WHR)		Current
Suunto	Outdoors	🔴 Spartan Sport Wrist HR Baro		Current
Suunto	Run/Tri	🔴 SPARTAN Trainer		New outdoor variants in Jan 2018, superseded in 2019 with Suunto 5
Suunto	Outdoors	🔴 SPARTAN Ultra		Current, OK to buy now. Suunto 9 is an effective replacement
Suunto	Fitness	Suunto 3		Current. A low-end model with interesting specs. GPS only from paired and carried smartphone.

		🔴 Suunto 3 Fitness (April 2018) Gen 2 overdue but may not happen.		The Suunto 3 dropped the FITNESS suffix in 2020 and DOES have very slightly different hardware
Suunto	Fitness	Suunto 9 Baro (spring 2018) Suunto 9 Peak (smaller)		Current. High-end Spartan ULTRA replacement. My GUESS is that this will iterate next in some way in 2021 (no intel)
Suunto	Fitness	Suunto 7 Gen 2 perhaps due in March 2022		Wear OS Smart sports watch

				Suunto might iterate bi/tri-annual versions of 3/5/7/9
Suunto	Run/Tri	🔵 Suunto 5 from May 2019 Gen 2 due but may not happen		Good mid-range tri watch. Replacement for SPARTAN Trainer. Due a refresh in 2021
Tag Heuer	Fitness	Connected Gen 1		Wear OS on snapdragon 3100 and a big price tag. yet still a smart fitness watch

		Connected Gen 2

		Connected Gen 3
Timex	Run/tri	IronMan R300		#Sigh
TomTom	Run	🔴 Adventurer		TomTom sports division is closed down. Firmware updates as of 8 May 2018

		🔴 Runner 3, Spark 3
TomTom	Run	🔴 Spark, Runner, Runner 2		Effectively Discontinued, there was never a Spark 2
Vivo	Smart	Watch		Smartwatch running FunOS, from BKK who own Oppo, Realme and One Plus.
Withings	Fitness	Move & Move ECG		CES2019, Sweet Fitness ecosystem
Withings	Fitness	Steel HR Sport		Current
Wahoo Fitness	Bike	🔴 ELEMNT		A great cycling computer, due a refresh. Might not happen if ROAM is seen as the replacement
Wahoo Fitness	Bike	🔴 ELEMNT BOLT (launched in 2017!)		A great cycling computer, due a refresh
Wahoo Fitness	Bike	ELEMNT ROAM (Sep 2019)		Colour version of a super-sized Bolt with navigation
Wahoo Fitness	Bike	🔴 ELEMNT MINI		Cut down cycling computer no GPS, no power compatibility, Wahoo-only sensors. Due a refresh but unlikely
Wahoo Fitness	Run/Tri	ELEMNT RIVAL (Nov 2020)		A mid-tier, mass-market triathlon watch
Wahoo Fitness	Bike	BOLT 2		25 May 2021
XPLOVA/Acer	Bike	🔴 G3, G5, E5, E7		Effectively discontinued
XPLOVA/Acer	Bike	X3 EVO X2 (May 2021)		Current, FYI they are releasing a turbo trainer Q3.2019 X2 Bolt-sized unit, most features except maps.
XPLOVA/Acer	Bike	🔴X5 (March 2017)		Superseded by X5 EVO
XPLOVA/Acer	Bike	X5 EVO (Nov 2017)		Current, refreshed model. onboard video, guess there’ll be an X6 next…
Zepp	Smart Fitness Watch	Zepp E Zepp Z		Zep E: 2x Apple watch wannabes Zep Z: likely sports watch

Notes

There are many other low-priced brands, several of which are visual rip-offs of the main brands’ models.
Some low-priced brands include PARNERME, UWEAR, GoLife, GooPhone, Reabeam, FitCare, iGPSport, Xoss
There are probably also some Kickstarter and Indegogo type new models planned. My broad opinion is that if this is the first sports watch from a company with no track record then you will lose your money or, at best, receive a pile of junk. Spend a little bit extra and instead get a real product now.
If you’ve found a brand that I’ve not listed above and the price looks too good to be true…there’s probably a reason. Just go for the brands above…eg Lezyne & Bryton offer cheap and perfectly good bike computers that support complex usage.

What have I missed? Are there others?

Note: information that has become available about accessories is NOT included here as there are too many of them to keep up-to-date with. There are also too many Power Meter variants for me to keep track of. I have more than a passing interest in PMs for triathlon disciplines but I don’t keep an eye on the whole market – the document I keep up-to-date on PM is my guide to the best power meter. I’m generally going to exclude wrist bands from the lists above, like the Vivokids v2, although some bands have sneaked in there already.

Lists of all Firmware Updates

Suunto Spartan is here: link to Suunto.com
Suunto 5 is here: link to Suunto.com
Suunto 7: is here: link to Suunto.com
Suunto 9 is here: link to Suunto.com
Suunto 3 is here: link to Suunto.com
Polar updates are here: link to Polar.com
Garmin updates are here: link to gpsinformation.net
Elemnt Updates are here: link to wahoofitness.com
Fitbit updates are here: link to Fitbit.com
Hammerhead Karoo is here: link to Hammerhead.io
Lezyne is here: link to Lezyne.com
WatchOS 5 is here: link to Apple.com
WatchOS 6 is here: link to Apple.com
WatchOS 7 is here: link to Apple.com
Stages DASH is here: stagesdash.com
Sigma Rox 12 here: sigmasport.com
Mio Cyclo: mio.com
Coros: link to Coros.com
Bryton: Facebook page for announcements

Please let me know of any I’ve missed

Also useful for checking compatibility and new ANT+ devices. VERY occasionally you might see a special ‘leak’ appear here first by accident.

thisisant.com
ANT+ Specification updates here: thisisant.com

Subscriber-Only Content

The remainder of this update is subscriber-only content and comprises a discussion of the trends in emerging technology and new technology – for example covering payments, GPS, OHR, Safety, Mapping and much more.

Recommended Reading: Endurance Technology Trends

END

1 thought on “July 2021: Sports Watch Update: All new & current Bike/Run/Tri/Fitness Models with GPS. Rumors + replacement dates for Garmin, Apple, Polar, Suunto, Wahoo, Samsung, Fitbit”

Paco Devesa says:
6 July 2021 at 7:14 am
Hey!!
Buy Garmin Edge 830 or wait to Garmin Edge 840?
What do you think? how many time I will need wait?
Thanks

July 2021: Sports Watch Update: All new & current Bike/Run/Tri/Fitness Models with GPS. Rumors + replacement dates for Garmin, Apple, Polar, Suunto, Wahoo, Samsung, Fitbit