new Garmin HRM Inbound? – rumour/minor leak
My latest intel is that a new Garmin sports accessory is on its way. Perhaps due for release around June.
Via: @JW, thank you
It’s definitely ‘a thing’ and is en route to release, but I am speculating when I say that it appears to be from the same stable as the recent HRM-FIT strap-on HRM from a few weeks ago. I and others called out the recent HRM-FIT before it was released but very early on I got the speculation wrong as to the exact nature of the HRM strap (it’s hard to predict a wholly new product type that no one has seen before!!).
speculation: HRM-STRAP
Once again, this leads back to the omission in Garmin’s product range. ie that of an optical armband along the same lines as the ones produced by Wahoo, Polar, Coros, Coospoo, Scosche and other lesser-known brands.
Other alternative accessory types include an updated chest HRM, updated Varia or an updated running pod but I just don’t see those happening in 2024 with the former last being iterated as HRM-PRO Plus only a year ago and the RD-POD and footpod effectively being superseded by on-wrist algorithms inside the watches.
Q: What kind of armband could it be?
A: There are a few ‘degrees’ of product complexity. Try these…
- A dumb BLE/ANT+ HRM strap based on Elevate Gen 5
- An intelligent strap adding these kinds of features
running dynamics (?)- ANT+ caching/retrieval support to a Watch
- Sleep dynamics data capture (?) temperature, motion, HR, HRV…
Possible ECG-tracking (?)
- An intelligent, multi-sensing strap that can work offline, linking back to Garmin Connect and not requiring a Watch/Edge. Basically, a Whoop strap.
Constraints
First up. Garmin isn’t going to make a product that circumvents the need for you to buy a watch or Edge. Or, at least, I think that is very unlikely. They want the money.
Secondly. they, err, want the money. So a basic product won’t command a sufficiently high price/margin.
So with those constraints in the forefront of our minds, we realise that any new armband has to be a well-featured, complementary product. As a complementary product, it could meet these very real needs for:
- Someone who can’t wear a chest strap for sport
- Someone who doesn’t want to wear a chest strap for sport
- Someone who doesn’t want to wear a wristwatch overnight but wants to gather sleep data
- A cyclist who doesn’t have a Garmin watch and wants to gather overnight sleep/recover data.
- Someone who has accuracy problems with wrist-derived HR from running/cycling/gym/swim
Finally, there is ZERO other intel around on new software features that are being added that might support such a product. That suggests, at present, that the new accessory leverages existing software functionality.
what Do I think it is?
A high-end oHR armband coming in at $180.
(or something else 😉 hey, I’m speculating. Don’t spoil my fun.)
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$180?! That would be nuts, unless it supports everything you suggest – including sleep metrics etc offloaded to the watch. I recently bought the polar to replace my Rhythm 2.0 that died after 2+ years of solid use. I don’t need caching etc so I wouldn’t be using the full capabilities.
I’ve got fully used to wearing my 955 overnight now – I find it very useful having my watch alarm on my wrist, using only the vibration to wake me up and not disturb others with the audible alarm. I also use the ‘light’ on the watch during the night too. I very doubt I would switch for an optical band… especially if its $180! It would need to make my morning coffee if it cost that!
hrm-fit is $150
hrm pro plus is $130
inflation is 10%?
I’d have to agree, at that price point I wouldn’t be convinced to buy any OHR monitor. I already have a Fenix 6 and an Oura ring which I’ve had for a while and have built up trust in my sleep data.
I did just buy a Polar Verity Sense (got for an absolute bargain €30, brand new from Halfords. Pretty sure it was an online mistake, but I take it as a win) which has replaced a Garmin HRM-PRO which lasted just outside of its warranty before packing in. So far I’m impressed by the comfort and accuracy of the Polar, I do miss the run dynamics but they never helped me improve on my running in any form…I just liked the extra data.
At €180 it’d have to do something special/unique over what Polar and COROS offer
€30 !
just had a look for that but couldn’t find it. My battery is playing up and I need to get one.
Hey the5k, you’re saying that your Verity Sense battery seems to drain out very quickly ?
It’s been two times I have the same impression with mine – and this time I’m certain I haven’t forgot to turn it out. Turns out I had something like a week of training (15-16h) and boom, today -> not gonna turn on.
It’s…6 months old I think…You do get the advertised 30h battery time ?
I’ve ued mine a LOT…a LOt.
so I assume the battery is on its last legs due to many many recharge cycles
i used to get 30 hours. i dunno, maybe its 10 or 15 now? i;ve had this one since launch day
the only complaint i have is that its sometimes hard to double press the button to start caching
if its only 180 i better get 2 lol. I hope you are right….. we need more options for everything.
It’s going to be a stick on re-chargeable device, that collects all of the HR data and sleep metrics and stores them until you sync with your watch / phone. Lets go with 72 hours of data storage.
The battery will last 4 weeks, and you can purchase a supply of replacement ECG like sticky pads for Garmin money.
Obviously it will support dual Bluetooth and Ant+
There was once such a device on Kickstarter wich turned into a medical device and we got a full refund. Don’t ask me how it was named, but the idea was to good.
What Barrie suggests would be groundbreaking, and also something I don’t see Garmin attempting.
If it’s a true 24/7 (i.e. sleep) monitor, then I would consider the $180 depending on the form factor, but like Gingerneil I have oddly gotten used to wearing my 965 at night. I say “oddly” because I was one of the biggest complainers of having to wear a watch as opposed to a band.
If this new product is a whoop-style band like the scosche, polar, or Coospo form factor, then I have to ask myself, how is that really an improvement over wearing a watch? If it’s because it’s worn on the forearm or bicep, I’m not sure that would be any less obtrusive/annoying while sleeping than on the wrist.
What I would like to see personally is a new Vivosmart product that does all the new HRV/sleep metrics and complements my 965 and can be worn when for whatever reason I don’t want to wear the 965 (sleeping, formal event, etc).
I would love for Garmin to come out with a band for my “second wrist”, i.e. an HRM monitor and step counter that allows me to wear a mechanical watch every now and then but still monitor all the data need for the recovery metrics and perfectly syncs stuff like Body Battery with my Fenix 7. I should be as small as possible, while still being accurate and provide a reasonable long battery run time. Don’t think it needs a display and no need to track workouts with this thing. Vivosmart 5 came close but I think the syncing part never worked as I wanted it to.
So please Garmin, give me Fenix Band and take my money.
Fenix Band would be a good name for sure!
Any updates? I’m hoping this is an OHR device.
Seeing the Polar 360 I would love to see the Garmin 360 come to life!!! Any new intel on this rumour/leak?
the latest intel updates are always here: https://the5krunner.com/2024/02/05/new-garmin-watches-2024/
this year is bad for you guys
1. there are just fewer leaks
2. the other stuff i know about i cant talk about!
anyay. roll forward 2-3 months from today and there will FOR SURE be SURPRISES.