Garmin debuts high-end sports watch ahead of Apple Watch Ultra 3

The Garmin Fenix 8 Pro in carbon leather. (source: Garmin)
On Wednesday, Garmin Ltd. introduced the Fenix 8 Pro, an enhanced rugged smartwatch, just days before Apple’s anticipated update to its premium Apple Watch Ultra timepiece. Designed for athletes and outdoor enthusiasts, the Fenix 8 Pro features advanced communication tools, including satellite and cellular connectivity for emergency response, texting, location sharing, voice calls, 30-second voice messages, and weather updates, Garmin announced in a statement.
Samantha Kelly for Bloomberg News:
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It starts at $1,200 and will be available on Sept. 8 in two sizes. There will also be a version with a brighter MicroLED display for $2,000, though the rated battery life is shorter — as much as 10 days in smartwatch mode, compared with a maximum of 27 days on the standard model.
The announcement comes just days before Apple is expected to unveil an upgraded line of wearables, including the Apple Watch Ultra 3. That device will feature a faster processor, an updated display, health tracking upgrades and satellite connectivity, Bloomberg has reported.
The Fenix line debuted in 2012 and has been marketed toward hikers and other outdoor athletes with features such as solar charging, extended battery life, route mapping and a built-in flashlight. The range also includes more standard health-tracking tools such as heart-rate monitoring.

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MacDailyNews Take: It’s a nice smartwatch, but it doesn’t have anywhere near the ecosystem of Apple Watch Ultra.

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