OLATHE, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Garmin International, Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), today announced the Forerunner® 645 Music, a GPS running watch with integrated music that gives athletes the freedom to enjoy their favorite tunes on a run or during a workout without having to take a phone along. Additionally, when in need of a bottle of water or a quick bite to eat, Garmin Pay™ contactless payment solution1 lets users pay for purchases with their watch and keep on moving.
Whether out for a run with friends or gearing up for race day, the Forerunner 645 Music makes it easier for runners to get the data they need. In addition to 24/7 heart rate monitoring2, it includes advanced running dynamics3, performance monitoring tools, connected features and thousands of ways to customize with free watch faces, widgets, data fields and apps through the Garmin Connect IQ™ store. With the introduction of the Forerunner 645 Music, the sporty style of the Forerunner line is getting a sophisticated makeover; the metal bezel, chemically strengthened glass and interchangeable bands make it easy to wear all day, every day.
“Listening to music helps most of us keep our momentum going during those long or particularly difficult runs,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of worldwide sales. “Now, with the addition of integrated music and Garmin Pay, the Forerunner 645 Music will help give athletes the independence they’ve been looking for while still providing them with the quality and accuracy of our other running products that they have come to rely on.”
Featuring similar high-end fitness, wellness and smart connectivity features as on previous Forerunner devices, the Forerunner 645 Music gives users an extra pep in their step with on-device music storage, up to 500 songs. Download offline playlists4 from select music streaming services, including iHeartRadio, Deezer and more, or transfer music from a computer directly to the watch. Once the playlist is loaded, pair the Forerunner 645 Music with a set of compatible Bluetooth® headphones (sold separately) and go.
Garmin Pay, a contactless payment solution, means athletes can leave their cash and credit cards at home and still stop for a bite to eat along their route. Utilizing their Garmin Pay wallet, users have the same rewards and benefits of the physical cards, with the convenience of having them right on the wrist for contactless payment.
Athletes can better prepare for a race or training cycle with the help of training features provided by Firstbeat. Training status automatically evaluates previous exercise and fitness levels to let athletes know if they are training productively, peaking or overreaching. Measuring exercise volume from the last seven days, training load helps users determine if they are training in the right zone and whether their sessions are too easy or hard. Additionally, the anaerobic training effect metric will tell athletes how their hard work and training is improving their ability to push the limits.
The Forerunner 645 Music allows athletes to go even further with their running data. Clipping the Running Dynamics Pod to the waistband allows users to see all six running dynamics, including cadence, ground contact time, stride length and more on their watch without the need for a chest strap. Built-in GPS and GLONASS let athletes track how far, how fast and where they run – no phone connection required. Go for a ride, swim, walk and more to take advantage of even more features available on the Forerunner 645 Music. Furthermore, users can view and follow downloaded courses on their wrist, race a previous activity and train with simple intervals or follow complex workouts. In the pool, the Forerunner 645 Music will track distance, pace, stroke, personal records and more.
With an array of connected features, the Forerunner 645 Music lets users stay in touch with the rest of the world, even while on the move. When paired with a compatible smartphone, it automatically uploads to Garmin Connect™, an online fitness community where users can track workouts, sleep patterns, join online challenges to compete against friends and earn virtual badges. Directly from the wrist, users will be able to receive and respond to text messages5, invite friends to follow their runs in real time with LiveTrack, and view social media updates, emails and more.
Easily customizable through the Connect IQ store, Forerunner 645 Music users can download free data fields, watch faces, widgets and apps including UBER ETA, SmartThings, AccuWeather MinuteCast and more.
The Forerunner 645 Music features up to 7 days of battery life in smartwatch mode and up to 5 hours in GPS mode with music. Weighing roughly 42 grams, this is the first Forerunner to feature a stainless-steel metal bezel and always-on Garmin Chroma Display™ that is easy to read — even in direct sunlight — and is housed under chemically strengthened glass. It is available with a black or cerise band and has a suggested retail price of $449.99. An option without integrated music capabilities – the Forerunner 645 – is available with a black or sandstone band with a suggested retail price of $399.99.
The Forerunner 645 and Forerunner 645 Music are the latest innovations from the ever-expanding Garmin fitness segment that develops technologies to enhance and promote healthy and active lifestyles. Whether users are runners, cyclists, swimmers, multi-sport athletes, or simply looking to stay active throughout the day, there is a product that can help them reach their health and fitness goals.
For decades, Garmin has pioneered new GPS navigation and wireless devices and applications that are designed for people who live an active lifestyle. Garmin serves five primary business units, including automotive, aviation, fitness, marine, and outdoor recreation. For more information, visit Garmin's virtual pressroom at garmin.com/newsroom, contact the Media Relations department at 913-397-8200, or follow us at facebook.com/garmin, twitter.com/garmin, or youtube.com/garmin.
1 Available for supported cards from participating banks.
Only available at NFC-enabled terminals. View
current supported country, payment network and issuing bank information
2
Activity
tracking accuracy
3 When used with Running Dynamics
Pod, HRM-Run™ or HRM-Tri™ monitor (sold separately)
4 May
require premium subscription with a third-party music provider
5
Responding capability available for Android™ customers only
About Garmin International, Inc.: Garmin International, Inc. is a subsidiary of Garmin Ltd. (Nasdaq: GRMN). Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. Garmin and Forerunner are registered trademarks and Garmin Connect, Garmin Pay, Connect IQ, Garmin Chroma Display, HRM-Run and HRM-Tri are trademarks of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.
The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Garmin is under license.
Notice on Forward-Looking Statements:
This release includes forward-looking statements regarding Garmin Ltd. and its business. Such statements are based on management’s current expectations. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and actual results could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting Garmin, including, but not limited to, the risk factors listed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, filed by Garmin with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 0-31983). A copy of such Form 10-K is available at http://www.garmin.com/aboutGarmin/invRelations/finReports.html. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Garmin undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
