Garmin Fenix 8 and other high-end smartwatch refreshes leak with LTE connectivity
Garmin switched up the Fenix series last year with the release of the Fenix E and Fenix 8 (curr. $948 on Amazon). Until then, the company had offered its high-end smartwatch series exclusively with Memory in Pixel (MiP) displays for maximum power efficiency. However, MiP displays suffer from comparatively poor colour vibrancy and visibility in low-light conditions.
As a compromise, Garmin decided to offer the Fenix 8 with AMOLED or MiP displays. Now, it seems that a refresh of not just the Fenix 8 is on the cards, but also the Enduro 3, Fenix E and Tactix 8. Officially, Garmin has not indicated that is planning on introducing updated high-end smartwatches.
Instead, an unnamed source cited by Gadgets & Wearables discovered a visualisation within the Garmin Connect app showing LTE connectivity options for the Fenix 8. As it turns out, Garmin refers to this connectivity option when attempting to pair an Enduro 3, Fenix E or Tactix 8, too. Although this may seem unusual, Garmin is known for adding new smartwatch models to its mobile app in advance.
At this stage, it remains to be seen what plans Garmin has for LTE connectivity on any of these smartwatches. Theoretically, Garmin could bring full internet access to the trio, much like Apple, Google and Samsung do with the LTE versions of their smartwatches. If the Forerunner 945 LTE is anything to go by, LTE connectivity may unfortunately only provide limited safety and tracking features to Enduro 3, Fenix E, Fenix 8 and Tactix 8.
Source(s)
Garmin Connect via Garmin Rumors & Gadgets & Wearables
