Garmin International, Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), today launched world’s first dedicated GPS running smartwatch with solar charging, Forerunner 955 Solar and GPS running smartwatch Forerunner 255 series in India. The new additions to Garmin’s Forerunner range, the preferred choice of runners across the world, are triathlon-ready smartwatches fully equipped with an array of training features designed for professional and mid-level runners and athletes. The Forerunner® 955 Solar, enters the market as the first-ever dedicated GPS running smartwatch with solar charging. Featuring the Power Glass™ solar charging lens, the Forerunner 955 Solar gives athletes up to 20 days of battery life in smartwatch mode3 and up to 49 hours in GPS mode. On the other side, the Forerunner 255 series includes the Forerunner 255 S and Forerunner 255S Music edition. The Forerunner 255 series can last up to 14 days in smartwatch mode and provides up to 30 hours of battery life in GPS mode on a single charge.
Garmin’s new addition to Forerunner running GPS smartwatch series provides unmatched insights to tailor training regimens depending on the condition of the user. All Forerunner GPS running smartwatches come with Garmin’s Body Battery and recovery feature.
Commenting on the announcement, Mr. Sky Chen, Director of Garmin Southeast Asia & India said, “With Running becoming more and more popular in India, we are extremely proud to announce our newest range Forerunner 955 Solar and Forerunner 255 Series, a GPS running smartwatch which continues to provide world class technology and features to the athletes in India. The Forerunner series is specially designed for running enthusiasts by the runners and it is developed to optimize their training regimen. We wanted to create a GPS smartwatch that caters to the needs of serious runners and athletes to help them get the best results from their training and we believe the Forerunner 955 Solar and 255 series will help us achieve that goal.”
Stay Ahead of the Competition with Forerunner 955, solar charging running GPS smartwatch
Featuring a Power Glass™ solar charging lens, the Forerunner 955 Solar gives athletes 50% more battery life6 – up to 20 days of battery life in smartwatch mode and up to 49 hours in GPS mode with solar. Built for the long run, the Forerunner 955 Solar features an always-on and full-color display that is easy to read even in direct sunlight. The responsive touchscreen complements the traditional 5-button design, allowing for fast and easy access to everyday health and other features. Designed with the runner in mind, the Forerunner 955 Solar adds innovative new features like heart rate variability (HRV) status, a training readiness score and race widget to help athletes better prepare for upcoming races.
Runners and triathletes can further benefit from the device by syncing indoor and outdoor workouts automatically from Garmin Connect™, the Tacx training app and other third-party platforms. The Forerunner 955 Solar is also compatible with Garmin Coach which provides free 5K, 10K and half-marathon training plans that adapt based on a runner’s goals and performance.
The Forerunner 955 Solar keeps the essentials on the wrist with built-in music (download up to 2,000 songs from playlists on Spotify® and Amazon Music (a premium subscription may be required), smart notifications for calls, text messages, social media updates and alerts from an athlete’s iOS or Android™ smartphone. It also offers Safety and tracking features to provide peace of mind while training outside by sending an athlete’s live location to chosen emergency contacts – or automatically sending a message if an incident is detected5. While riding inside, athletes can also control a Tacx® Smart trainer via ANT+® technology right from the watch for course simulation, automatic resistance changes and workout prompts when using courses or workouts. What’s more, the Forerunner 955 Solar can be personalized with custom watch faces, data fields, and apps and widgets from the Connect IQ™ Store.
Made for medals
To help athletes chase their next PB (Personal Best), the Forerunner 955 Solar includes key performance and training tools from Firstbeat Analytics™ like VO2 max, training load, performance condition, training effect and more. Also, new indicators such as HRV status, recent exercise history and performance provide athletes with greater insight into their overall training status – and whether they’re training productively, peaking or strained. Daily workout suggestions provide athletes with an entire week of day-to-day training guidance based on their fitness levels, overall wellness and even adapt based on race plans that are set up using the new race widget. When using a Running Dynamics Pod or HRM-Pro monitor (each sold separately), athletes can track running dynamics such as cadence, stride length, ground contact time and more. Athletes can also track their cycling dynamics, such as seated/standing position, power phase and platform center offset when using a compatible Garmin power meter (sold separately). The Forerunner 955 Solar also can track a swimmer’s distance, stroke, pace, personal records and more.
Stay on track and keep training
Whether running on city streets or cycling through densely covered trails, the Forerunner 955 Solar provides athletes with full-color display and long battery life, to stay on track and optimize their training.
Athletes can prepare for what’s ahead with selected points of interest along a course. Additionally, they can also be able to view performance metrics, split times, distance and elevation data and a summary of upcoming key course points
Garmin’s PacePro™ provides grade-adjusted guidance as athletes run a course
Runners can use ClimbPro on downloaded courses to see real-time information on current and upcoming climbs including gradient, distance and elevation gain
Enter a distance to run or ride right on the watch and instantly receive suggested courses that circle back to the starting point
Stay on Track with Forerunner 255 Series
Designed for the runners, the lightweight Forerunner 255 series of GPS running smartwatches comes with a plethora of features and insights. It also includes full triathlon support, new training metrics, enhanced smartwatch features (when paired with a smartphone) and more. The Forerunner 255S and Forerunner 255S Music are available in 41 mm sized cases while the Forerunner 255 and Forerunner 255 Music are available in 46 mm cases, making them ideal for runners. The smartwatches can last up to 14 days in smartwatch mode and up to 30 hours in GPS mode on a single charge.
Much like the 955 Solar, the Forerunner 255 Music and Forerunner 255S Music can store up to 500 songs right on the watch, including playlists from Spotify® and Amazon Music (a premium subscription may be required) from an iOS or Android™ smartphone. It can also connect to users’ wireless headphones for phone-free listening.
Performance monitoring tools to push the limits
Offering personalized training and recovery insights, the Forerunner 255 series includes performance monitoring tools to help athletes push the limits.
Daily workout suggestions provide an entire week of day-to-day training guidance on what workout is most effective for overall wellness and adapt based on race plans that are set up using the new race widget
The onboard Garmin Coach feature facilitates Runners to train for 5K, 10K or half-marathon using free training plans that adapt based on a runner’s goals and performance
Athletes can switch up workouts with dozens of built-in sports apps, including triathlon, cycling, pool and open-water swimming, track run among others
Using new indicators such as HRV status, recent exercise history and performance, the smartwatch provides athletes greater insight into their overall training status – and whether they’re training productively, peaking or strained
The GPS running smartwatch is also designed to help better prepare for a race or training cycle with performance metrics from Garmin Firstbeat Analytics™ like VO2 max, acute load, training status, training effect and more
Stay on pace using PacePro™, a tool that provides grade-adjusted guidance as athletes run a course
Health and wellness insights
The Forerunner 955 solar and Forerunner 255 series are designed to be worn all day and track overall well-being 24/7. Wrist-based Pulse Ox4 monitors blood oxygen saturation levels which is added to the device to provide a clearer picture of sleep while Body Battery™ shows current energy levels to help athletes find the best times for activity and rest. Every morning, the smartwatch provides a personalized score of users’ sleep quality, different sleep stages, heart rate, stress, Pulse Ox and respiration data. Women can use the women’s health tracking app to track their pregnancy and adjust their training to plan for upcoming races based on where they are in their menstrual cycle.
Price and Availability
- Forerunner 255 Basic comes in Slate Grey and Tidal Blue starting June 30 Garmin Brand Store, Helios watch store, Just in time, Croma, Amazon, Flipkart, Tata CLiQ, and Synergizer at ₹37,490.
- Forerunner 255S Basic comes in Powder Grey beginning June 30, through the leading stores in the country, some of which are mentioned above. It is priced the same too, i.e., ₹37,490.
- Forerunner 255 Music and Forerunner 255S Music come in Black color on the same day, ie., June 30. Both of them cost ₹42,990.
- Forerunner 955 is offered in Black and White color from June 30 through major stores at ₹53,490.
- Forerunner 955, Solar also hits the store in Black and White color from June 30, but at ₹63,990.
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