Garmin has just announced updates to a host of its watches, including the Forerunner range and Venu 3, which bring a slew of features including nap detection and skin temperature readings.
These new capabilities are coming to the Venu 3 as mentioned, as well as the Enduro 2, Epix (Gen 2) watches, Fenix 7 series and Forerunner models (and many more – see the full list here).
Nap detection, as the name suggests, is a way for the watch to know when you're taking a nap and monitor that interlude. The feature provides feedback on nap duration (and suggestions for nap duration throughout the day).
Skin temperature monitoring is another new feature, and this comes into play when you sleep, with temperature changes measured as the night progresses – with greater deviations perhaps linked to contracting an illness, for example. Your skin temperature may also be related to the environment you sleep in, or your recent activity (for example, a hard workout).
Also new are Running Dynamics – which measures metrics such as your stride length, cadence and time in contact with the ground while running – and Running Power, which displays your force exertion level while running.
Body battery is an existing feature you'll be familiar with on your Garmin watch, and the company is expanding on this with additional details on how sleep, naps, activity, and stress levels drain (or replenish) your battery. Another addition is that a daily overview is now displayed in the evening with your energy level and consumption during the day.
Elsewhere, activity tracking for skiing has also been tightened up, promising more accurate stats around altitude and heart rate, among other elements.
Garmin has also seen fit to make some other minor tweaks, such as the ability to view photos received on an Android smartphone on the watch's screen (with certain phone models, at least).
This update is packed with some pretty cool stuff, as you can see, and is already rolling out to compatible watches. Sync with Garmin Connect (or Express) to obtain the upgrade (make sure automatic updates are enabled with your watch).
Analysis: Hmmm… napping
Nap detection is a much-requested feature from users, and it's essentially a mini version of sleep tracking, as you might imagine, that gives you feedback on nap duration as stated, and advises how daytime naps can work for you.
Monitoring skin temperature while you sleep is the other important introduction here. As we've already noted, if you encounter a bug, it may show up in your temperature readings overnight before symptoms manifest. This may allow you to take proactive measures. Like, for example, not going all the way to the gym that morning, but resting instead. Or stock up on Lemsip.
Speaking of workouts, skin temperature can also rise following particularly demanding exercise, and knowing that can be helpful in timing your next weight session in terms of when you've fully recovered from the previous one. (Overtraining and not allowing full recovery is obviously a big mistake).
It's a shame these additions aren't coming to older Garmin watches, but the reality is undoubtedly that they don't have the latest sensor technology to take advantage of some of the key introductions here.