Sports tech in 2025 – What I’m looking forward to

Mass levels of technical innovation in the sports tech industry feel as if they are slowing down.

Companies are moving forward by tweaking and improving the usability of their products and adding a single tech component when they become available. As examples of that, we’ve seen Garmin focus on usability (Fenix 8, Edge 1050), we’ve seen the mass adoption of high resolution, vivid AMOLED touchscreens, and we’ve seen multi-constellation, dual frequency chipsets become a norm – and accurate one at that.

We’ve also seen improvements in wellness sensors and insights, but many of those feel as if they only add ‘meh’ levels of improvement, at least for athletes.

Looking forward to 2025, I don’t see a step change in the pace of progress. I expect more usable devices and apps. But I also feel confident we will see new tech in microLED screens.

With that in mind, here are the products I hope and expect to excite me in 2025.

Garmin Edge 850 / 550

I’ve used the Edge 540 and Edge 1050 this year. I have to say the button-only Edge 540 was an awful experience; my wrist is only recovering from the contortions required for its many button presses and poor overall UI. Against that is the Edge 1050, which has a touchscreen and next-generation interface. It’s pretty good. Very good, in fact.

Inevitably, the Edge x50 series will be expanded to a cheaper model in 2025 – mostly likely in spring. This means we will see an Edge 850, which will probably be well worth buying, and we might see an Edge 550 alongside that. I’m sceptical that Garmin will take the button-only access for the 550 to the new interface seriously. I hope I’m wrong.

Expectation: Edge 850 – Exciting! 550…less so.

Garmin Forerunner 975

Fenix 8 saw a new user interface, which will be added to new Forerunner/Fenix watches but not rolled down to most older models. Fenix 8 and several other watches have the Gen-5 Elevate optical HR sensor (2023).

The Gen 5 Elevate can only take a one-off ECG reading, which is useless. At least, to me, it is. It is, nevertheless, an improved sensor, and it’s always nice to have the latest and greatest bits of tech on my wrist.

I wear and use my Forerunner 965 triathlon watch and like it. It’s not perfect, but if an asteroid fell on the Garmin factory tomorrow and I could never get another Forerunner, I would be happy to keep using the FR965 until it fell apart. It’s a great workhorse.

But I’d like a prettier, slightly improved workhorse if there’s one going.

The Garmin Forerunner 975 is due in 2025, and it will certainly have a new user interface and Gen-5 optical HR. Hopefully, there will be some other goodies, too.

Expectation: Forerunner 975 – Exciting!

Apple Watch 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, Apple Watch SE Gen 3

This year’s Apple Watch failed to add any new components of sporting significance, but all recent Watch models did get a very nice sports software bump with Watch OS11.

To me, the interesting thing about Watch 10 was one of its superficially most boring aspects – its sizes. Watch Series 10 has had a case size and shape redesign; there is NO WAY that Apple will change the 42mm and 46mm sizes until 2027. As a result, the core 18-hour claimed battery life is here to stay until then. Sure, a few components like a microLED screen or solid-state battery could bump it up a bit, but ‘a bit’ would be just above 24 hours, and Apple probably wouldn’t even bother changing its 18-hour claim.

Watch 10’s S10 chipset also failed to get any AI boost. Such AI boosts have made their way to many of Apple’s latest chipsets on its other pieces of tech.

I look forward to handing over my Watch 10 to my partner in 2025 and getting the LTE version of Watch 11. I expect it might get improved accuracy from dual-frequency positioning and Apple’s next generation of optical HR.

Expectation: Watch 11 – Meh! I’m going to be broke buying all this stuff. At least I love to use it.

There will almost certainly be a Watch Ultra 3 and SE Gen 3. Just look at Apple’s financials for Q3. The wearables didn’t do well, probably because these models were not refreshed this year. I’ll buy the Ultra 3 alongside the Watch 11, and if Apple makes a smaller Ultra 3 option, I might keep that for me. But I’m not holding my breath. SE Gen 3 might be cheaper for kids who you want to get teched-up into the Apple ecosystem.

Continental  GP6000

This is not electronic tech, but I’m excited as it is sporting performance progress.

Most keen cyclists I know opt for the existing Continental GP5000 tyres, which have low rolling resistance (RR), weight and decent grip. There are various flavours, like the lighter TT version that lowers RR and a heavier TLR version that replaces the weight and risk of an inner tube with the weight and risk of sealant (hmmm). I like and use Pirelli as well.

I’ve been lucky to use the state-of-the-art Continental Aero 111 this year, which adds a bit of weight, a bit of grip, and a tad more RR – and creates watts (claim: sail effect). Theoretically, it is better and faster overall because of its aerodynamic tread profile. You might scoff, but aero wheels and tyres significantly affect your performance. I actually won a GB national-level, age-group multisport event this year, and I used the Aero 111 (I don’t normally win decent races but I did go up a group). I’ve also had some bizarre 2-hour PBs/PRs on some of my regular loops with this tyre when my fitness and fatigue levels would have predicted otherwise. The aero boost that the Aero 11 is supposed to deliver could be part of the explanation.

Anyway, I reckon the tread profile and improved Black Chili compound will make their way onto Continental’s next generation of performance road tyres in 2025 – i.e. the GP6000 range.

Expectation: If you are a performance cyclist, you should perhaps get excited; I already have some 🙂

Whoop Strap 5

Whoop has a unique band-based offering for many athletes seeking recovery assessment and sleep & training guidance. They have a subscription-only service, part of which bags you a free hardware upgrade when they decide to iterate a new one. And one is now overdue.

Whoop is an interesting company that tends to innovate where it can. Its scope for extensive innovation is limited by the band format, which has only a limited number of components. But I would expect Whoop to push out the Boat of Innovation of the components and use them where possible. Perhaps more so than most companies.

Expectation: I am quite excited by the prospect of Whoop 5

A New Varia Rear RADAR smart light

I loved the original Varia RTL510 (2016) so much that I bought the RTL515 (2020) because it had a slightly better battery. It’s the best safety tool I’ve got and rarely throws out a false negative (it DOES do some), but it seems to detect vehicles more accurately than the competition. Other than the Bontrager alternative, I’ve tried them all.

However, the battery on the RTL515 is one of my perennial banes. It lasts well over 10 hours, but I do many multi-hour rides up to 160km. So it doesn’t last many rides, and I always get RADAR battery warnings. The simple solution is for Garmin to double the size of the battery and be done with it. I’ll take the weight hit.

An RTL520 would be due now based on a 4-year refresh cycle, but I’m not holding my breath. Garmin wants to produce premium products with niche tech, which led to what I consider to be the mostly useless rear-facing radar-light camera of the RCT715.

Expectation: I expect nothing here but hope for an RTL520.

microLED display for Garmin Fenix 8 and TAG Heuer Connect E5

I expect a microLED screen to appear for the first time next year on at least one high-end wearable. The economics of microLED only seem to work for devices around the $1,000 price point or above.

TAG Heuer is heavily rumoured to be adding one to its next-gen Connected E5 (based on WearOS3), and Garmin has had three leaks that confirm a working prototype of the Fenix 8 based on microLED.

microLED will make a notable difference in battery life. A ballpark figure would be a 20% improvement, other things being equal. microLED has other benefits, perhaps best realised in subsequent years with the Apple Watch, where edge-to-edge screens are needed.

Expectation: I expect microLED watches from both TAG and Garmin, though I’m not entirely sure why I’m excited by the prospect