Having heard about Garmin Pay for the new Vivoactive 3, I was hoping Garmin had hidden an NFC chip in the Fenix line for an update. It sounds like they didn't. This really frustrates me. 4 months after debuting their "flagship" devices with the Fenix 5 series, they bring out Garmin Pay on a device that's half the price? This makes no sense. They had to know this was in development during the creation of the Fenix 5 and could have added NFC just as a future-proof. I would have understood debuting Garmin Pay with the Fenix 6 but this feels ridiculous. There's no reason a $300 Vivoactive should have features my $700 Fenix 5X doesn't have. Am I alone in feeling ripped off by this move?
In the UK, Barclaycard introduced an NFC "loop" that fit perfectly on the certain Garmin models about 2 years ago. If this can be done by a bank, I'm not sure why Garmin cannot create a similar "loop" for devices released prior to the Vivoactive 3. Take a look at the link...
Be aware the bpay thing doesn't fit on a 5x strap. It is effectively just a chip in the same format as an old style sim-card with a little rubber strap but the rubber strap is too small to fit a 26mm strap.
Whilst it does not have Garmin Pay and NFC, the Fenix 5 series has a load of features the Vivoactive 3 does not have (The Vivoactive 3 is a solid watch for the right person)
Power meter support
Running dynamics
Training load and status
80 plus activity profiles
mapping and navigation
This is just some of the differences, if people are feeling cheated the Fenix 5 does not have Garmin Pay and feel the Vivoactive is cheating them and cant see the differences then they have bought a watch that is to big for them in terms of features with the Fenix 5
I'm not saying I'd rather have the Vivoactive. I need the features of the Fenix 5X and it was awesome in my last 100 mile ultramarathon. I just think that adding a major new feature like that should have been done on a flagship or at least with more time since the release of their latest and greatest Fenix line. I would love to use Garmin Pay. I use Android Pay all the time and wear my Fenix constantly, so I'd be in for that functionality. I totally expect the technology to continue to move forward and for our watches to be behind, but I think Garmin made a mistake by treating it's most hardcore customers who dropped nearly a grand on their watch like this. All I'm saying.
have to admit - i just saw the ad for a much cheaper Garmin with this feature and having just purchased a Fenix 5X last week rushed to the forums to see if somehow my 5X watch had the capability.
very disappointed to find it doesnt. this is the sort of watch you wear everyday. and i cannot remember the last time i used my credit card as the rest of my devices have contactless pay.
