The Venu 3 smartwatch from Garmin demonstrates that manufacturers of smartwatches are expanding their focus beyond just exercise and activity monitoring in the realm of health tracking.
Garmin’s latest Venu 3 smartwatch, priced from $450 and set to launch on Wednesday, introduces enhanced sleep tracking capabilities compared to its predecessor, along with a battery promising up to 14 days of use. This release signifies Garmin’s recent efforts to contend with mainstream smartwatches from Apple and Samsung, which have gained prominence as Garmin’s rivals due to their expansion into running metrics.
Garmin is emphasizing battery life as a significant distinguishing factor. The Venu 3 boasts slightly better battery life claims than the Venu 2, which the company states can last for 11 days in smartwatch mode. Whether the Venu 3 lives up to these assertions remains to be verified. However, even if it achieves half of Garmin’s claims, the Venu 3 would still surpass devices like the Apple Watch Series 8 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 6, which typically require nightly charging to endure a full day.
However, the Venu 3 lacks the extensive app ecosystem and optional LTE connectivity found in other multipurpose watches. Yet, Joe Schrick, Garmin’s Vice President of the fitness segment, believes that the Venu 3’s trade-offs are justifiable in exchange for the extended battery life.
During a media preview ahead of the Venu 3’s launch, Schrick stated, “We advocate wearing it constantly. You can’t accurately assess someone’s well-being if you miss out on their sleep.”
Garmin is also introducing fresh health and fitness-oriented attributes, particularly targeting sleep tracking, mental well-being, and post-workout recovery. These domains have gained more prominence for smartwatches and fitness trackers recently as device manufacturers strive to expand their focus beyond mere exercise and activity monitoring in the realm of wellness tracking.
Among the standout features of the Venu 3 is its nap detection functionality, which automatically records brief naps and integrates them into the Body Battery assessment. This assessment provides an overview of your energy levels based on variables such as activity, stress, and sleep. Additionally, Garmin states that the Body Battery will offer greater insights into how specific factors like sleep or stress contribute to your overall score.
The Venu 3 is also receiving a fresh sleep coaching tool that delivers a sleep score for evaluating sleep quality and provides suggestions to enhance rest. Similar sleep scores are offered by products from Fitbit, Oura, and Samsung. Additionally, there’s a new meditation feature designed to alleviate stress.
Garmin’s novel wellness metrics align with the broader trend towards mental well-being and sleep within the smartwatch industry over the past few years. Fitbit, for instance, initiated stress management features with its inaugural Sense smartwatch, launched in 2020.
Samsung recently redesigned its smartwatch software to prominently display sleep scores. Apple rebranded and expanded the Apple Watch’s Breathe app, now known as Mindfulness, into a fresh wellness tool in 2021.
Garmin is also enhancing the accessibility of the Venu 3 compared to its previous models. A new wheelchair mode caters to tracking metrics specifically tailored for wheelchair users, including daily pushes instead of steps. The Venu 3 will also introduce new workout regimens designed for wheelchair users.
Several features present in Garmin’s other watches, aimed at making data more understandable and personalized, are carried over to the Venu 3. This encompasses a morning report providing an overview of sleep, recovery, and heart rate variability upon waking, alongside metrics showcasing the impact of workouts on the body and required recovery time.
Notably, the Venu 3 incorporates a built-in speaker and microphone, features previously available in the Venu 2 Plus but absent in the standard Venu 2. The watch is offered in two sizes and features an AMOLED touchscreen.
The introduction of the Venu 3 aligns with a busy period for smartwatch launches. Apple has announced an event on September 12, where it is expected to unveil the Apple Watch Series 9 according to Bloomberg. Samsung introduced the Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic in August, and speculations suggest that Google is working on the Pixel Watch 2.
