Garmin Adds Flashlight and Touchscreen Feature to its Fenix 7 Series

Sophie Webster, Tech Times 18 January 2022, 11:01 am

The Garmin Fenix 7 may not have been included at CES 2022, but that does not mean that the tech company has forgotten about the smartwatch fans.

On Jan. 18, the tech company revealed the revamped multisport GPS smartwatches. Aside from the Fenix 7 lineup, Garmin also released the Epix, a smartwatch fit for outdoor adventures and has an always-on color display.

Garmin Reveals Updated Fenix 7 and Epix Smartwatches

The Fenix 7 smartwatches are available in three different sizes: 42mm, 47mm, and 51mm. The Fenix 7S, 42mm in size, and the Fenix 7, 47mm in size, will be available in regular versions made with polymer. But there are also Sapphire Solar and Solar Editions to choose from, according to The Verge.

Also, the Sapphire Solar Edition has upgraded the materials to sapphire and titanium for more durability. Garmin also added solar charging features to all three sizes of the Fenix 7 series.

Garmin said that compared to the previous model, the Fenix 6X Pro, these new smartwatches have 54% more solar surface area, which means it has longer battery life.

The solar charging capability was also added to Garmin's Enduro lineup last year.

Also Read: Garmin Vivosmart arrives but will it soon get lost in the crowd of wearables?

With GPS enabled, Garmin said that the maximum battery life for the Fenix 7S is 80 hours, and if solar charging is used, it can go for up to 162 hours. The numbers increased for the Fenix 7, as it goes from 136 hours for regular charging and 289 hours with solar charging.

For the 7X, Garmin said that users would get up to 213 hours of battery life for regular charging and 578 hours with solar charging. However, these are all estimates as the battery life will also depend on the usage.

The Fenix 7 lineup will support all satellite systems and have the L5 frequency range for GPS accuracy. L5 is considered one of the three modernized GPS signals, and it has higher power and greater bandwidth than the rest, according to ZDNET.

Touchscreen Features for Fenix 7 Lineup

The lineup also has touchscreen features and button controls. New button guards will be added to minimize accidental presses. Garmin wants to give users different ways of navigating through the watch's menus, like checking the GPS map and scrolling through the settings.

The smartwatches also have a hands-free LED flashlight feature that can be adjusted to help athletes see and be seen during their nighttime activities, according to Engadget.

Garmin said that the flashlight could be activated by double-tapping the watch, and it will work for both left-handed and right-handed users.

The watch has a strobe mode where the flashlight matches the user's cadence. It will flash red when the arm swings down, and it will flash white when the arm swings up.

As for the software, a Real-Time Stamina tool was added to help users compare the stamina that they would have to moderate versus their stamina at their current effort level.

A new mapping feature called Up Ahead is also added, and it tells users of the location of water, aid stations, and other main points at a course.

Last year, Garmin released Venu 2 and added a call feature that allows users to receive and make calls anytime.