Garmin targets athletes with solar-powered GPS running watch

The Forerunner 955 Solar is the first-ever dedicated GPS running smartwatch with solar charging

Garmin on Thursday launched the world’s first dedicated GPS running smartwatch with solar charging - the Forerunner 955 Solar and the GPS running smartwatch Forerunner 255 series in India. The new additions to Garmin’s Forerunner range are triathlon-ready smartwatches equipped with training features designed for professional and mid-level runners and athletes. 

The Forerunner 955 Solar, enters the market as the first-ever dedicated GPS running smartwatch with the solar charging function. Featuring the Power Glass solar charging lens, the Forerunner 955 Solar can give up to 20 days of battery life in smartwatch mode and up to 49 hours in GPS mode. 

The Forerunner 255 series includes the Forerunner 255 S and Forerunner 255S Music edition. The Forerunner 255 series can last up to 14 days in smartwatch mode and provides up to 30 hours of battery life in GPS mode on a single charge, the company claims. 

All Forerunner GPS running smartwatches come with Garmin’s Body Battery and recovery feature. 

The Forerunner 955 Solar features an always-on and full-colour display. The touchscreen has the traditional 5-button design. The Forerunner 955 Solar also adds new features like the heart rate variability (HRV) status. 

The Forerunner 955 Solar keeps the essentials on the wrist with built-in music and smart notifications for calls, text messages, social media updates, and alerts from iOS or Android smartphones. It also offers safety and tracking features to provide peace of mind while training outside, by sending a live location to chosen emergency contacts – or automatically sending a message if an incident is detected. 

Forerunner 955 Solar can be personalised with custom watch faces, data fields, and apps and widgets from the Connect IQ Store.