Less than a week ahead of when Apple plans to unveil the Apple Watch Ultra with satellite capabilities, Garmin introduced its own smartwatch with satellite connectivity.
The Fenix 8 Pro is Garmin's first smartwatch to feature its inReach satellite and cellular connectivity. InReach is the technology that Garmin uses for its handheld navigation devices. With inReach, the Fenix 8 Pro can send location check-ins and text messages over satellite using the Garmin Messenger app.
There is also included cellular connectivity, so the smartwatch can make phone calls, send 30-second voice messages, and provide LiveTrack links and weather forecasts when an LTE connection is available.
LiveTrack is a feature that allows the wearer's family and friends to keep track of their location during an activity or adventure.
For emergencies, there is an SOS feature that will send a message to the Garmin Response center over a satellite or cellular connection. Garmin Response will then communicate with the user, their emergency contacts, and search and rescue organizations to provide help. Garmin says that its Response team has supported over 17,000 inReach incident responses across over 150 countries.
Along with satellite connectivity, the Fenix 8 Pro has a high-resolution microLED display with 4,500 nits of brightness, making it the "brightest smartwatch ever," according to Garmin. Other features include dive-rated and leakproof metal buttons, a metal sensor guard cover, and an LED flash light. It can track health metrics and provide an endurance score, hill score, daily suggested workouts, sleeping advice, ECG functionality, and more.
There are two Fenix 8 Pro sizes, including 47mm and 51mm, and two different display options. The AMOLED model is priced starting at $1,200 and it gets up to 27 days of battery in smartwatch mode. The microLED model, which is available only in a 51mm size, is priced at $2,000 and it gets up to 10 days of battery life in smartwatch mode. Garmin's new smartwatch models will be available for purchase on September 8, one day before Apple's September 9 event that will see the unveiling of the next-generation Apple Watch Ultra.
Apple's upcoming Apple Watch Ultra 3 is rumored to include integrated satellite connectivity, allowing Apple Watch wearers to send text messages and get help when a cellular or Wi-Fi connection is unavailable.
Apple does not charge for satellite service at this time, while Garmin does. Garmin's inReach plans start at $7.99 per month, with additional fees for some of the satellite-based features based on which plan is selected.
