Documentation for two new Garmin smartwatches has appeared on the US Federal Commission (FCC) website, suggesting even more devices could land soon.
Any company that wants to sell a device capable of wireless communications (including GPS watches, navigation systems, and Bluetooth sound systems to name just a few) must first register it with the FCC and ensure it passes the commission's tests. Advnture has spotted applications relating to two new Garmin smartwatches (IPH-04390 and IPH-A4390), which were published on June 10.
The documents don't reveal much information about the devices themselves (testing photos and anything that could reveal too much is kept under a confidentiality agreement), but it looks like only one the two watches has Wi-Fi connectivity. That's interesting.
What's next?
A list of forthcoming Garmin watches leaked back in April offers some hints about what these two might be. We were skeptical about this list when it first emerged (allegedly via an authorized Garmin retailer) as there was no way of verifying it. However, it proved accurate when it came to the Forerunner 955, 255, and 255S, so we're cautiously optimistic about its other predictions.
One of the two might be the Vivomove Trend. Most recent Garmin devices support Wi-Fi, and we'd expect almost all of the devices in the leak to do so as well. The only exception is the Garmin Trend, which is likely to follow the precedent set by last year's Vivomove Sport.
Alternatively, it might turn out that the Garmin Instinct Analog has no Wi-Fi connectivity, and is much more similar to a conventional wristwatch than other devices in the Instinct series.
However, the naming suggests things might not be quite so straightforward. 'IPH' is the code the FCC uses for Garmin, while the other digits in the application ID (04390 and A4390) are chosen by the company making the application. The similarity of these two numbers suggests that they are two versions of the same device.
If so, perhaps these two listings are for two versions of the mysterious 'Garmin Austin' mentioned in the leak from the licensed retailer. What might it look like, and will it earn a place on our list of the best GPS watches? Only time will tell, but we're keeping an ear to the ground for any further news.
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