Garmin Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd., announce the latest GPS sport watch for demanding athletes and outdoor adventurers, the fēnix 3. For more than a decade, Garmin has been developing robust, dedicated wearable technology to guide the training of elite athletes and enhance the experience of avid outdoorsmen. As pioneers of a superior GPS technology, we reinvented the parameters for digital chorography and high-sensitivity positioning and continue to push the boundaries for performance and reliability. The most recent introductions to our lineup have been imbued with an alchemy that combines practical, necessary function with contemporary style. Our watches have won races, summited mountains and sailed the seas. Now, they also have the power to change ordinary lives in momentous ways. fēnix 3 is the evolution of wearable technology.
This sophisticated watch supports a full range of sport activities from advanced fitness training to trail running, from triathlon training to cycling and even hiking. With a new, slimmer athletic design, a stainless steel bezel, high resolution colour display and smart watch features, the new fēnix 3 is also a great watch to wear every day. When paired with a smartphone, fēnix 3 provides smart notifications, weather forecasts and much more. fēnix 3 comes in three stylish variations: Silver, Grey and the premium option Sapphire, which has a scratch-resistant, domed sapphire lens and a linked stainless steel strap for the most demanding athletes.
“fēnix 3 is the perfect watch for someone who lives a rigorous lifestyle, it is designed with advanced sports and navigation features as well as being tough and aesthetic,” said Marc Bainbridge, Product Manager for Outdoor. “fēnix 3 gives users the best a GPS smart watch can offer, with innovative smart features that enrich connectivity along with new Connect IQ apps.”
Uncompromising Design
fēnix 3 is available in three variations but all are bold, athletically designed and made with superior construction quality. Silver comes with a red strap and crystal lens, Grey with a black strap and the premium Sapphire option, with a stainless steel strap and domed sapphire lens. Each of them feature the innovative steel EXO antenna which receives GPS and GLONASS signals and protects the watch in harsh environments. The new, slimmer housing is glass-fiber reinforced with stainless steel buttons and makes the watch water rated up to 100 meters, so fēnix 3 can safely withstand swimming, kayaking and other more extreme water activities.
Each fēnix 3 model has a brilliant Chroma colour display, for perfect readability under any light conditions. It provides 20 hours of battery life in GPS mode, 50 hours in UltraTrac mode and up to six weeks in smart watch mode. The basic watch functions include alarms, tones, vibration alerts, timer and stopwatch. Users can also choose from a variety of digital or analogue watch faces to suit style and personal preferences.
Advanced Training
fēnix 3 is packed with advanced training features that work like a personal coach to improve users’ form and fitness. When paired with a heart rate monitor1, fēnix 3 can estimate VO2 max to evaluate the user’s fitness level and based on this calculation, predict race times. fēnix 3 can also calculate recovery time and perform a recovery check after intense workouts, so users know how long to rest before their next hard work-out to prevent injury. When paired with HRM-Run, fēnix 3 also checks your running form and reports advanced running dynamics, like cadence, vertical oscillation and ground contact time to improve running economy.
fēnix 3 has a dedicated trail running profile which offers new features like the “Auto-Run-Climb” switch which displays specific data based on the flat or incline run and the climb odometer which allows them to track long time ascent performance, independent to single training sessions on the watch. In addition to running, fēnix 3 also provides comprehensive training features for biking, swimming and triathlon. Whether you are training in the pool or in open water, fēnix 3 can track distance, pace, stroke count and more. For every day wear, fēnix 3 has activity tracking functionality, which provides a customised step goal each morning, then counts steps, calories and distance throughout the day. It also features a vibration move alert after one hour of inactivity and sleep mode to monitor quality of rest at night.
Outdoor Navigation
Like its predecessors, fēnix 3 comes equipped with a full navigational toolset. The steel EXO antenna featuring GPS and GLONASS for faster fix and improved positioning in challenging environments. It is also paired with a barometer, auto-calibrating altimeter and 3-axis electronic compass to allow fēnix 3 to safely navigate on and off the beaten track with confidence. With fēnix 3, users can plan trips and navigate courses, mark locations, such as campsites or points of interest and record GPS breadcrumb trails on the move. TracBack is a great safety feature as it provides the assurance that one can always navigate back to your starting point.
Truly Smart and Well Connected
Besides being an impressive outdoor and sports device, fēnix 3 is also a smart watch. It comes packed with smart features, is fully connected and also gives users the opportunity to tailor to their active lifestyle with Connect IQ apps. The Smart Notification feature allows users to pair their smartphone2 with the wirelessly connected fēnix 3 to receive calls, text and email alerts right on their wrist, even if their phone is packed away. fēnix 3 makes the sharing and storing of activities easier than ever, whether through automatic uploads to Garmin Connect , through Wi-Fi hotspots or through the Garmin Connect Mobile app via Bluetooth. If users want to stay in contact during their activities they can use fēnix 3 together with the mobile app to start a LiveTrack session that allows family and friends to follow along in real time during a training session. To further enhance training, analysis and sharing, additional features are now available in Garmin Connect’s modern view including triathlon support, a new activity detail page, group leader boards and more.
With Connect IQ, fēnix 3 can be completely customised to suit the personal needs of the user. Connect IQ is the first-ever open platform for third-party developers to create apps for Garmin products. Through the Connect IQ store on the Garmin Connect Mobile app, users can download customised apps, widgets, data fields and watch faces to make their fēnix 3 even smarter.
Garmin is working with several app developers to bring a range of fēnix 3 apps to the Connect IQ store. Tempo, for example, is creating a smart calendar app that will let users see their upcoming events, and send an email from their watch if they are running late. Accuweather is building an app to give users allergy information at a glance. Outdoor-Active will provide a great selection of recreational activities to choose from and navigate along. Moxy, an external muscle oxygen sensor, is creating an app that monitors the oxygenation of critical muscles during a workout, so users can have more insight on what is happening within their muscles.
fēnix 3 can also act as a wireless remote for the Garmin VIRB Elite action camera using ANT+, users can start and stop recording and take stills right from their wrist. In addition to heart rate monitors, fēnix 3 is compatible with a variety of other ANT+ accessories such as tempe temperature sensor, speed/cadence sensor, and the Vector power meter.
fēnix 3 will be available in 3 options, fēnix 3 silver (R7599) and fēnix 3 performer bundle (R8449) and fēnix 3 sapphire performer bundle (R9999). Pre-order one here.
1 Heart Rate Monitor sold separately.
2 Examples of compatible phones include: iPhone 4S & later, Android 4.3, Galaxy S3 or later, Galaxy Note 3, HTC One, phone must be Bluetooth Smart
Introducing ‘Connect IQ’: The First Open Platform for Garmin Wearables
Garmin Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd., announce Connect IQ, the first-ever open platform for third-party developers to create apps which can be used on select Garmin products. Garmin prides itself on creating active lifestyle products that become an essential part of customers’ lives and the creation of Connect IQ is an extension of that. Garmin has provided third-party developers with downloadable Software Development Kits (SDK), to create apps on devices who are required to: meet the low power consumption level, provide extended battery life and connectivity to smartphones and peripheral sensors through Bluetooth low energy (BLE) and ANT+.
“As a leader and innovator in the wearables market, we are excited to open up the Garmin platform to third-party developers. Connect IQ will allow customers and developers to customise their Garmin devices with apps that appeal to them and reflect their unique personalities,” said Walter Mech Managing Director of Garmin Sub-Saharan Africa.
Developers are able to build apps for Connect IQ and benefit from product which are known for:
- Their trusted GPS technology
- Their designed for optimal battery life
- Their connectivity which is vastly extendable through BLE and ANT+
- Their durability and device’s ability to endure the demanding conditions that an active lifestyle may bring
Select Garmin devices will now be able to support widgets and apps. This gives developers the opportunity to design colourful watch faces and translate rich sensor data into new relevant metrics. Even more, developers can create widgets to add to the main screen loop, these can include the score of a big game or when it’s time for users to hydrate during a long run, ride or hike. These apps can be tailored to any individual lifestyle no matter what device users are using it for.
