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Title: Garmin Beats Apple to Market with Satellite-Connected Smartwatch

Link: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/09/03/2038...

Just days before Apple's expected launch of the satellite-enabled Apple Watch
Ultra 3, Garmin unveiled its Fenix 8 Pro -- the company's first smartwatch
with built-in inReach satellite and cellular connectivity, SOS features, and
a blindingly bright 4,500-nit microLED display. MacRumors reports: With
inReach, the Fenix 8 Pro can send location check-ins and text messages over
satellite using the Garmin Messenger app. There is also included cellular
connectivity, so the smartwatch can make phone calls, send 30-second voice
messages, and provide LiveTrack links and weather forecasts when an LTE
connection is available. LiveTrack is a feature that allows the wearer's
family and friends to keep track of their location during an activity or
adventure. For emergencies, there is an SOS feature that will send a message
to the Garmin Response center over a satellite or cellular connection. Garmin
Response will then communicate with the user, their emergency contacts, and
search and rescue organizations to provide help. Garmin says that its
Response team has supported over 17,000 inReach incident responses across
over 150 countries. The Fenix 8 Pro smartwatch launches September 8, with the
AMOLED model starting at $1,200 and the 51mm microLED version priced at
$2,000. Both require a paid inReach satellite plan beginning at $7.99 per
month for full functionality.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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