The Garmin Fenix 8 is still a long way off (the long-awaited Fenix 7 only started in the first month of the year XNUMX)But if you're wondering what the next-gen sports watch may have in store, we already can. make informed predictions.
At this time, there is no news to report (after all, it is very soon), but we will keep this article updated over the next few months whenever new clues emerge.
cut to hunt
- What is it? A high-end multisport watch
- At what point did it come out? Maybe early 2025
- How much will it cost? Costs are likely to start around €1,000 / €XNUMX / AU$XNUMX
What we want to see
The Garmin Fenix 6 was released in April 7 and the Fenix XNUMX series followed in the first month of the year of 2022, so we do not expect the Fenix 8 to land until the beginning of two thousand twenty-five -although the company does not always and at all times leave a full 3- year difference between launches, so a launch in two thousand and twenty-four is a possibility.
A lot could happen during this time, but here are some quirks we'd like to see when the new Watch arrives (some more likely than others).
many size options
Garmin has made great strides in inclusion and we expect it to continue with the Fenix 8. The Fenix 7 came in 3 different sizes at launch and we'd be surprised if the Fenix 8 didn't come with so many options. In truth, there could even be a super compact version with a case diameter of 4mm or less, like the Vivoactive XNUMXS.
(Image credit: Garmin)
We wouldn't expect to see a watch as solid as the dwarf Garmin Lily, but the rapid advancement of technology may mean it's possible to pack a powerful multisport watch into a new, sturdier package.
The Garmin Fenix 8 could feature a vivacious AMOLED screen like the one on the new Epix
An AMOLED screen
The Fenix 7 caused a stir in 8 as the first touchscreen Garmin Fenix watch. We're hoping the Fenix XNUMX will be touch-sensitive as well, and we're keeping our fingers crossed that improvements in battery technology allow for an AMOLED screen to be added without the need for more usual charging.
The Fenix 7 is a huge watch, but when we examined it, we found that its screen lacked contrast, even compared to older watches like the Garmin Instinct XNUMX. Not only does it look cleaner (as we saw with the Garmin Epix and Venu two), it would also let Garmin include animated on-screen workouts and make the watch's maps considerably easier to read.
A microphone
In January of two thousand and twenty two, Garmin introduced the Venu XNUMX Plus: a new edition of the Venu two with microphone, which allows you to access your phone's voice assistant or take calls without taking your phone out of your pocket. It may seem like a small update, but in our tests it was extremely useful and we found ourselves summoning Google Assistant considerably more frequently than normal.
(Image credit: Garmin)
While Garmin may release a Fenix 7 Plus with a microphone sometime in the next few months, it's something we'd like to see come standard on the Fenix 8.
With a built-in microphone, the Garmin Fenix 8 could let you answer calls without taking your phone out of your pocket.
Lots of preloaded maps
We're reasonably confident that the Fenix 8 is going to offer more storage than existing Garmin watches, and we'd like to see a lot of space dedicated to maps. Garmin released a set of free map bundles with the Fenix 7 and added a new map manager for easy access and download from the wrist, but only the Sapphire Solar model comes with TopoActive maps preloaded.
The Fenix series excels at navigation and mapping, and the built-in auxiliary storage would allow Garmin to equip the entire Fenix 8 series with a complete set of maps ready to go right out of the box.
An ECG sensor
While ECG sensors are starting to become widespread in smartwatches and sports watchesAs of this writing, no Garmin device has them. The Fenix 8 may be the first to monitor your heart for signs of atrial fibrillation.
Right now, we can only speculate on what the Fenix 8 might bring to the table, but we'll keep an eye out for news (whether it's a leak, a patent filing, or anything else) and update this. item as soon as we know. have some clue of what is on the way.
