Garmin Forerunner 955 Status

adamBomb said:

Sorry but I have LTE on my apple watch and it works just as well as my phone.

+1

Would never buy a sports watch again that has no LTE.

This is about safety and comfort. 

I really want to see you texting a message to your wife while drowining just to find her phone run out of battery or is next door, well hypothetically of course, stay safe. If you ever have been in a real emergency trying to get help, texting will likely not help you. I needed 15 min just to explain police where they can find me on the water, by phone. Quite an experience. It would be different if you could send an emergency call to a rescue service including GPS coordinates and such, but that won't work globally. A Breitling watch had this some years ago, build-in PLB. Again, it is your life and not my business.

To answer questions: no, I've never surfed as you correctly figured out, I do other watersports, with PFD and phone in the PFD, 7 hrs per week. I am against LTE as I simply do absolutely see no benefit of LTE for me. Same goes for Pay, music, wifi. I have no need to message or receive messages on my sport watch. Unfortunately the watches in the cheaper segments are specialized to running or cycling, both not suitable for me. So I more or less have to buy expensive stuff and disable 70% of what I've paid for. That is simply why I am against it. If there is a market, it is not me.

Apple watch has an emergency button that call 911 and provides your location. It also sends your emergency contacts your location. Its a pretty brilliant. Texting is great, If there is an emergency at home (I have 3 little kids), my wife can let me know while I am surfing/swimming.

As far as you not wanting the extra feature, I get it. I don't want the golf feature. But it's fine it's included. Apple offers the LTE/Non LTE version. I imagine garmin will too. But this is only temporary. Within the next 5-7 yrs there will be no such option, it will be standard and everyone will want it. Kinda like cell phones. In the late 90s every person used to ask me, "what do you need that thing (cell phone) for? It's useless, its a waste of money, etc" Low and behold all of those people had them within 2-3 yrs. Then those same people said the same thing about cameras on cell phones. Then those same people said the same thing about texting. Then about facebook. Then about smartwatches, and the list goes on...

Alright, got to go. I'm going swimming with my kids in the pool right now. Apple watch on so I can get messages. Phone left inside, no need to bring it! LTE is awesome!

I keep hoping someone will actually contribute something on topic. Maybe someone can start a new thread with a poll to debate LTE vs. non-LTE. The only mention of a 955 indicates both versions will be available.

Roedema said:

I keep hoping someone will actually contribute something on topic.

Phil did with the first reply.  Maybe someone can start a new thread with a poll to guess the status of the 955.

I wish we knew. I feel like the acquisition of firstbeat is going to lead to a lot in the very near future. Not sure if this will push up or push back the 955 but its a sign of what new firstbeat features we might see. Not sure what the effect covid is having either. I could see Garmin doing a Fall release to compete with AW. But my guess is Spring 21. They have been putting the 945 on sale recently which does indicate they are clearing them out. I don't think I have seen any rumors about it since the Nov update where they found it in Garmins code.

adamBomb said:

I feel like the acquisition of firstbeat is going to lead to a lot in the very near future. Not sure if this will push up or push back the 955 but its a sign of what new firstbeat features we might see.

That's a good point.  I think covid is a major factor also.  Production, design, shipping, everything involved with releasing a new product must be slowed due to this disease.  My personal opinion is we'll see another big wave as fall approaches and more people will be indoors closer to one another.  Hopefully we as a society have learned something from the initial outbreak and this new summer outbreak (or Phil's winter for those "up there" in NZ ) and we'll be better prepared.  Anyway, it's anyone's guess and my guess is the same as yours with a Spring 2021 release.

I don't know if it's the 955 (probably not) but something new is coming in 2 days... https://twitter.com/Garmin/status/1280170959677333504

Ah, that makes sense.  I haven't really followed the Fenix line.