- Garmin Vivoactive 6 is officially revealed
- It looks very similar
- It comes after heavy criticism from Garmin users over the new Conenct+ Premium level
Garmin has revealed Garmin Vivoactive 6, an affordable smartwatch with a new Smart-Wake alarm functionality and access to features from multiple Premium Garmin watches, such as running dynamics. It is priced at £ 279.99 (approximately $ 360 / AU $ 580; accurate US and AU prices are TBC).
Garmin’s vivoactive line is full of sporty, valued watches beaten on the Apple Watch volume, and Garmin Vivoactive 5 sits beautiful as our current ‘best value’ choice on our list of the best Garmin watches.
The Vivoactive 6 watch is very similar to Garmin Vivoactive 5, with a plastic house, aluminum frames, two buttons instead of the usual five-button configuration found on more Premium Garmins, an AMOLED screen and a silicone strap.
Like Vivoactive 5, Sports de Vivoactive 6 up to 11 days of battery life. It shares the dimensions and 1.2-inch screen with Vivoactive 5, although Garmin has made some changes.
Among the upgrading heights is a ‘smart alarm’ feature that can wake you at the optimal time in a sleep phase – a feature that is new to Garmin, and one we have wanted on Garmins for years – along with daily suggested walking training towards its running.
As mentioned above, Vivoactive 6 also has access to Garmin’s advanced running dynamics measurements that Vivoactive 5 did not have.
According to a Garmin press message, users can also download a robust selection of step-by-step training for strength, hiit, yoga, pilates, mobility and more through Garmin Connect.
“They can also access the Garmin Coach runs and strength training plans – several of which adapt daily to performance, recovery and health metrics to help users prepare for their next race, train for a milestone or improve the overall fitness.”
A wheelchair mode that spores pushes and which was one of the best states introduced on Vivoactive 5 is also included.
Vivoactive 6 is available in four snappy-looking color combinations: Black/slate, bones/moon gold, Jasper Green and Pink Dawn.
Analysis: Garmin moves the news cycle
Garmin Vivoactive 6 seems like a good watch, especially considering that it is cheaper than many of its contemporaries from Apple and Samsung. After all, we loved Vivoactive 5 and there is no indication that this is anything other than an improvement, albeit an iterative.
However, I cannot help feel that the timeline of this launch may have been pushed up. In the last few days, the news cycle has been dominated by setback against Garmin to release Garmin Connect+, a new PEAPE for Premium level with AI features available separately for the free Garmin Connect app.
Users have taken to social media to complain about paying for a very expensive watch only and then having new features locked behind an additional subscription. Rightly or not, the new features that are introduced to connect+ at the expense of the app’s free version until the subscription is effectively important to make the most of your watch.
A well -received new budget device from Garmin would help move the news cycle on, although the user IRE will probably not easily be assuated in the short term.
