Garmin is launching two new wearables at IFA 2022. The $249.99 Venu Sq 2 is an update to its affordable line of GPS smartwatches, while the Black Panther version of the Vivofit Jr. 3 for $89.99 gets a new special edition band.
The Venu Sq 2 is primarily an iterative update. The OLED display is slightly larger at 1.4 inches. It also includes its Health Snapshot feature, which allows users to record a two-minute session that simultaneously records metrics such as heart rate, heart rate variability, blood oxygen levels, breathing and stress. Both of these updates are good, but the most significant change is that it has almost doubled the battery life from six days to 11 days. Like the original Venu Sq, it will also come in a music version that can store up to 500 songs on the watch. As usual, the music version costs an extra $50 at $299.99. Speaking of price, the entire Venu Sq 2 line is $50 more than the original, probably because our gadget inflation has finally caught up.
The three regular Venu 2 squares are on the left, while the Music Editions are on the right. Image: Garmin
Like its predecessor, the Venu Sq 2 includes more than 25 indoor sports apps and built-in GPS, as well as preloaded cardio, strength, yoga, HIIT and pilates workouts. Users can also create their own workouts from 1,600 exercises, as well as access Garmin Coach training plans. In terms of health features, it supports Garmin’s body battery recovery metric, stress tracking, sleep tracking, and menstrual cycle and pregnancy tracking. In terms of smart features, it has Garmin Pay, smart notifications, and access to Garmin’s Connect IQ third-party app store.
It now has purple accents. Image: Garmin
Meanwhile, the new version of the Black Panther Vivofit Jr. 3 for $89.99… looks a lot like the original but adds purple embossing on the band. So, if your kid wished the older version of solid black was more colorful, then good news: now it’s… a little more colorful. Garmin has a ton of Marvel, Star Wars, and Disney themed trackers, and this is one of them. (And not all of them are for kids.) The tracker itself allows kids to unlock app adventures, games and icons related to their favorite Avengers, as well as earn “Infinity Stone” points. For parents, the tracker includes an emergency contact widget and the Garmin Jr. app. allows you to assign tasks to your children in exchange for virtual coins that can be redeemed for whatever you want to reward them with. It also has a replaceable battery that lasts up to a year.
Both the Venu Sq 2 and the special edition Black Panther band are available now. The Venu Sq 2 has a suggested retail price of $249.99 and $299.99 for the Music Edition. The regular Venu Sq 2 comes in Shadow Grey/Slate, White/Cream and Fresh Mint/Metallic Mint color combinations. The Music Edition comes in Black / Slate, Ivory / Peach Gold and French Gray / Cream Gold. Meanwhile, the new Black Panther Vivofit Jr. 3 will cost $89.99 and is only available in limited quantities on the Garmin website.