Not a 955, but 945 LTE?

eliobell said:

don't want to be bothered by anyone. Running is serious !! No cellphone and no LTE when I run

I don't want to be bothered myself, but I carry a phone for safety reasons.  Both my wife and I have been clipped by careless drivers while cycling and in both instances the driver's didn't stop.  Fortunately, neither of us suffered any significant injuries.  One of the few times I ran without a phone I had to jump into the bed of a stranger's pick-up to avoid a very unhappy and pissed off dog.  I spent 30 mins there until a neighbor came out to assist.  So, I would welcome LTE and use it accordingly so I don't need to carry my cell phone.  People talk about battery life, but why turn on the function when it's not needed?  I'm hoping to see it soon on a Forerunner watch.

A Garmin LTE watch most likely won’t be capable of making voice calls. And, correct, most people don’t want to make calls while running. However, having the capability to use LiveTrack, incident detection, send and receive SMS messages, and maybe stream music all without carrying a phone would be welcome by many. These were the benefits added to the vivoactive 3 LTE, and ones I would enjoy having in my 945 so I can leave the phone at home.

Some folks need the peace of mind to stay connected to family when out on longer runs. If you don’t, then you’ve got plenty of other watches to choose from. It isn’t a stretch to say that Apple has stolen more than a few sales due to the Apple Watch cellular capabilities. 

Duffman19 said:

However, having the capability to use LiveTrack, incident detection, send and receive SMS messages, and maybe stream music all without carrying a phone would be welcome by many.

I had an Uncle who was out on a walk 2 years ago and slipped on a patch of ice that was on the sidewalk.  He fell and hit his head and was knocked unconscious.  He was found 2 hrs later and died on the way to the hospital due to swelling on the brain.  Had he been wearing a LTE capable watch with LiveTrack or incident detection, he may still be with us today.  Some people need to think outside the box and not view LTE as only a means of chatting or texting when they're working out. 

I would say that's a cert. Apple definitely have had an advantage with eSIM watches, mostly for people who want a smartwatch, but also for those using it as an alternative to a sports watch. I just hope that if Garmin offer LTE, it's as a variant of the 955 (or whichever model it's on) and not a feature you'd have no option but to take. And I hope that features like on-board storage of music and podcasts are kept as not everyone wants to use streaming services just to listen to music. Some people believe that streaming platforms are the future, but I'd be disappointed if that turns out to be true and we don't have the option of loading our own files onto a watch, just because there's an LTE version available with some kind of streaming service tie-in

Sorry for your loss. Sure this could be a life saving function, but this would only be one of the capabilties LTE would bring, only with that, most of the customers wouldn't be interested, because such an event is very rare. Also the 945 has this function already integraded, sure only in companion with a phone by now, but its there, so the same counter-argument can be used here: 

"Who needs a map on the Enduro? I have my smartphone". 

But the fact that the Enduro far surpasses a smartphone in terms of battery power is ignored here and it would be good to have a map function for an ultra run when the smartphone is long dead and you don't know where you are.

In my opinion, the advantages of the included maps are clear. For my part, I don't need LTE, because my smartphone is completely sufficient as a communication interface as long the battery isn't empty :-) and when I buy a running watch, it is not only because of its life-saving functions, but also because of the functions that support me in my sport and everyday life. I'm more interested in other features, especially longer battery life, something like a light-weight enduro, but with a map function. 

LTE would be rather negligible and just a nice to have feature which I would not reject as long as the improvements are mainly made there for what the watch is mainly intended for.

I respect your concerns and also share them.  The Vivoactive 3 with LTE had the ability to use LTE or Bluetooth and also store music on the watch.  I don't know about streaming music though.  LTE does require a paid service through a provider and as far as I know, Garmin only had this service with Verizon.  My only concern is that Garmin doesn't offer a LTE only version where people would have to pay for the additional hardware when they don't intend on using it.  Garmin released the 245 and 645 with a music version, but left out that option with the 945.  I found I like having music on my 945, but I would have purchased a non-music version for the maps had I been given the choice when the 945 was released.  Only time will tell what Garmin has planned.

but you know that the 945 has maps included? Just to make sure;-)

Ivan_Toulouse said:

Also the 945 has this function already integraded, sure only in companion with a phone by now, but its there,

I agree it's very rare to happen, but the phone is only good if you're able to use it.  In my Uncles case (and thank you for your comment) he had his phone with him.  Had the vehicles that struck me and my wife had been more serious, we might not have been able to call for help either.  It's more for piece of mind and security.  I've been living in Western Washington since 1996 and experienced one earthquake.  I still elect to have earthquake insurance though it's not required just in case of that rare event that a severe one happens.  I view LTE the same way.  It's just extra security in the event something happens.

Ivan_Toulouse said:

you know that the 945 has maps

Yes, that's the only reason I upgraded from my 935.  I was saying if there was 945 and 945M, both with maps, I would have chosen the 945 version because at the time I didn't care for music storage.  It's my hope if LTE comes to a Forerunner watch, there's an option for someone like you who doesn't necessarily want LTE to be able to buy the new watch without the added cost of having the LTE hardware.  Maybe a 955 and 955LTE.

who knows said:

but the phone is only good if you're able to use it.

The incident detection with or without LTE really doesn't change much is there LTE or not. You don't need to be able to use your phone the watch uses it via BT.

But the next major problem I'm seeing is that the Garmin incident detection only works if you are doing a activity, not just during casual walk if you are not putting your walk activity on.