Speedo iQ Launches Screen-Free, Priced Above FORM’s Display Goggle
Speedo launched Speedo iQ on 27 August 2026 at £149 in the UK and $189 in the US. It’s a sensor-only with no display. FORM’s Smart Swim 2 LT, with an AR lens showing pace and stroke data mid-swim, costs $149 in the US and £129 in the UK.
Speedo is charging more for less hardware.
The module tracks pace, distance, stroke count, breath timing, head position, turn time and carry angle across all four competitive strokes. Speedo describes iQ as the only wearable swim system that tracks all four strokes and carries competition approval. Data syncs to the app after the swim, with up to four hours of tracking per charge. A “head playback” feature reconstructs head position across the full session.
The module is built into the Vanquisher 3.0, Speedo’s bestselling training goggle. It moves between goggle pairs when a set wears out. Core tracking and app features come included, subscription-free. FORM’s SwimStraight compass has moved to the same model: included free, while HeadCoach and structured training plans stay Premium.
Adam Peaty, quoted in Speedo’s launch material, said data matters most when athletes are chasing margins of a per cent or less.
Skipping the display is the design argument. Speedo positions post-swim analysis as a way to keep the swimmer’s attention on the water during the session. That suits a swimmer working with a coach who reviews the data afterwards, or a swimmer who finds a live display distracting mid-session.
Speedo iQ is a pool-only proposition at launch, with no compass for open-water swimming like FORM’s SwimStraight.
FORM wins with display, the open-water navigation, and now the cheaper entry price. Speedo has the brand name and a niche proposition for coaches of high-level swimmers.
Quick answers
Is Speedo iQ race legal?
Yes, the Track version carries World Aquatics approval for competition use.
Does Speedo iQ have a display like FORM's goggles?
It ships screen-free, and costs more than FORM’s display-equipped Smart Swim 2 LT in the US.
How long does Speedo iQ track on a single charge?
Up to four hours of swimming, according to Speedo.
Last Updated on 3 October 2026 by tfk the5krunner
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tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors. ID
