Garmin has introduced the Forerunner 945 LTE, a premium GPS running and triathlon smartwatch with LTE connectivity. Sometimes referred to as 4G LTE, the connectivity feature is for wireless data transmission.
A release from Garmin noted…. ‘Designed to help athletes stay connected on the go, the Forerunner 945 LTE brings phone-free safety and tracking features, spectator messaging and live event sharing to the wrist while still providing the detailed training data, performance monitoring tools and smartwatch features athletes have come to rely on.’
To use LTE features, an active subscription plan and connectivity to a Category M1 LTE network is necessary. The Forerunner 945 LTE features up to two weeks of battery life in smartwatch mode and up to seven hours in GPS mode with music and LTE LiveTrack.
Available now in the United States and Canada in whitestone or black colourways, the Forerunner 945 LTE has a suggested retail price of US$649.99. The Forerunner 945 LTE will be available in other select countries later this summer.
“We are excited to bring LTE connectivity to the Forerunner line with the introduction of the Forerunner 945 LTE,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin Vice President of Worldwide Sales.
“For years, athletes have been able to leave their phone at home and still receive performance metrics, listen to music and pay for purchases with their Forerunner. Now, they can also access safety and tracking features right from their watch, making it even easier to work out without a phone and without worry.”
The new LTE connected watch lets athletes send for help if necessary and stay connected to loved ones – with no phone needed. If an athlete feels unsafe or if the smartwatch senses an incident has occurred, assistance and incident detection features will send a message with their location to chosen emergency contacts.
The Forerunner 945 LTE can also automatically send an athlete’s name and location to the Garmin IERCC, a 24/7 staffed professional emergency response coordination centre. This can contact and coordinate with emergency services or others to provide assistance. The Garmin IERCC will stay in contact with the athlete through two-way messaging with the watch until the emergency situation is resolved.
When out for a run or ride, LiveTrack lets family and friends follow along in real-time and even see an athlete’s entire pre-planned course. During a race, competitors can send pace and mileage updates to loved ones and receive motivational audio and text messages from spectators.
