Garmin Vivoactive 3 takes design cues from other smartwatches in leaked photos

Garmin is no stranger to the wearables market. While not as popular as rivals like Fitbit, Garmin has put out some very capable fitness trackers. However, Garmin may be looking to shake things up with the Vivoactive 3. The next fitness tracker set to be released in Garmin’s Vivoactive line looks less like its blocky fitness tracker predecessors and more like a device from smartwatch manufacturers.

According to leaked photos posted by Wareable, the Vivoactive 3 will feature a round face more akin to Garmin’s Fenix devices, which is the wearable manufacturer’s line of GPS-enabled smartwatches. Previous devices bearing the Vivoactive moniker have featured blockier rectangular designs with very simple interfaces and rudimentary phone notification systems. The Vivoactive 3 looks to be an overhaul of the line, sporting elements from the higher-end Fenix wearables, including what looks like more robust notification capabilities.

The Vivoactive 3 will retain the waterproofing of the previous Vivoactive device, the Vivoactive HR, and will include a heart rate sensor like the HR. While the full feature set is still unknown, Wareable speculates that the Vivoactive 3 will also be equipped with other fitness tracking features, including a step counter, an altimeter (for counting stair steps), and the “ability to record intensity minutes,” among others.

There’s no word on pricing, but Garmin’s move to integrate more smartwatch features into its fitness trackers shouldn’t be surprising. Fitbit recently announced that it was working on a new smartwatch and was hoping to release the wearable in time for the holiday season. Garmin has a small chunk of the wearables market, and a well-priced and competent smartwatch could give the company a much-needed boost in sales. If it can get the device to market before Fitbit, Garmin may be sitting pretty during the holidays.

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