The 50th International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) kicked off in a big way on January 5 in Las Vegas, USA. As a barometer of the electronics industry every year, the show attracted worldwide attention, with media teams from around the globe closely following the new product developments from major brands. Garmin, the global leader in the GPS field, continued to showcase at this event, bringing a range of GPS products for fitness, outdoor recreation, car navigation, action cameras, and more. It also gave the world its first look at upcoming new products. Let’s uncover their true features together.
All-in-One FunctionalityGPSWatches——fenix 5
The all-new fenix 5 series sports watches come in three versions: fenix 5S, fenix 5, and fenix 5X. Visually, each model has a distinct style. The fenix 5S features a significantly smaller watch face thanks to Garmin’s excellent design craftsmanship, yet it offers the best battery life. It provides optimal comfort for users with smaller wrists and also introduces pure white TPU straps and champagne gold tan leather straps for female users. The fenix 5 also has a reduced watch face size but offers about 25% better battery life, along with more practical sports monitoring and analysis features, plus a more comfortable user experience. The fenix 5X is the only one of the three that retains the previous watch face size but introduces more cutting-edge smart wearable technologies. Most notably, it offers detailed city route planning navigation and allows users to add contour maps, providing the most comprehensive navigation features for outdoor enthusiasts. Additionally, all three watches feature a quick-release strap system that allows for tool-free installation and removal in just one second.
fenix5sInterchangeablewith Multiple Style Straps
All three models support optical heart rate monitoring but have not abandoned the traditional heart rate chest strap, which can record more sports data. The fenix 5 comes with ABC sensors and supports various outdoor activity modes such as trail running, running, cycling, hiking, skiing, golf, and stand-up paddleboarding. For cycling enthusiasts, the fenix 5’s new Group Track function will be particularly appealing, allowing you to view your teammates’ cycling positions and related activity data. The golf features of the fenix 5 have also been enhanced, offering not only more data recording but also new training functions.
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fenix5Xandfenix5
In terms of other features, all three watches include daily activity tracking and smart notifications, support the highly customizable ConnectIQ and Face-It watch face tools, allow control of mobile phone music, offer sleep monitoring, and can remotely control VIRB action cameras. This makes them not only useful during sports but also valuable daily companions, enabling this all-in-one outdoor sports watch to offer even more possibilities for users.
Iridium Outdoor HandheldGPS NavigatorAt this CES, Garmin also released an Iridium-based outdoor handheld GPS navigator called InReach. This product continues Garmin’s traditional handheld device design, featuring a color, high-visibility screen, XPI7-level water resistance, a barometric altimeter, and a 3-axis electronic compass. Its battery life reaches an impressive 100 hours, making it suitable for extended outdoor activities.——InReach
Users don’t need to worry about the InReach becoming as useless as a smartphone in harsh wilderness conditions, as it is equipped with a high-precision GPS antenna that ensures reliable performance even in tough environments. If you encounter an emergency in the wild, the InReach’s built-in dedicated SOS rescue communication system becomes a lifeline. It enables two-way global emergency messaging via text and email, provides SOS location tracking so rescuers can quickly locate you, and facilitates immediate rescue. When your phone loses signal in remote areas, the InReach becomes your only means of communication with the outside world, allowing you to send short messages to family or friends to keep them informed of your status.
The InReach features a globally covering Iridium satellite communication system and supports worldwide maps, meaning it can be used anywhere on Earth. Users can plan routes with the InReach, and even if you lose your way, the Track Back feature can guide you safely back to your starting point. After completing an adventure, you can share your detailed tracklog with friends right away, letting them share in your courage and perseverance.
Car Navigation Device
Although Garmin is thriving in the smart wearable market, it hasn’t neglected innovation in the traditional car navigation device sector. At this CES, Garmin launched a new line of PND (Personal Navigation Device) products for the global market. These continue Garmin’s clean and straightforward interface style, with large fonts for easy operation. In terms of design, they no longer rely on suction mounts on windshields but are instead placed directly on the car’s dashboard via a base, reducing obstruction of the driver’s view.——Garmin Drive/ Garmin Drive Smart/ Garmin Drive Assist/ Garmin DriveLuxe
The Garmin Drive series represents a smarter generation of car navigation devices. Moving beyond the simplistic user experience of traditional navigators, it is more intelligent—almost like a tablet. In addition to voice-controlled navigation that frees drivers’ hands, it also offers Bluetooth hands-free calling, real-time traffic updates via smartphone connection, map and software updates over Wi-Fi, and integration with Garmin sports watches to provide helpful electronic compass guidance, ensuring safer driving.
Garmin Drive series navigators support navigation maps for various regions around the world, meaning you can drive across the globe with confidence. They not only allow users to plan preferred routes but also use voice prompts to help avoid traffic violations and fines, ensuring a safe journey while getting you to your destination smoothly. In short, the Garmin Drive series makes in-car navigation systems more user-friendly. We’ll continue to release detailed introductions to Garmin’s new products, so stay tuned to Garmin’s official WeChat and Weibo accounts.
2017 CES Garmin Multi-New Product Launches Continue to Lead Outdoor Sports Hi-Tech