Garmin unveils the Forerunner 570 and Forerunner 970, its newest GPS running and triathlon smartwatches for performance-driven athletes
- Extended battery life with up to 11-15 days in smartwatch mode
- New advanced features including ECG App, running tolerance, and running economy tracking
- Premium materials in 970 model with sapphire lens and titanium bezel
- Enhanced training capabilities with Garmin Triathlon Coach and custom multisport workouts
- Addition of built-in speaker and microphone for calls and voice commands
- None.
Insights
Garmin's new premium Forerunner watches strengthen their position in high-margin performance wearables with significant feature upgrades.
Garmin's latest Forerunner 570 ($549.99) and 970 ($749.99) represent a strategic enhancement of their premium wearables lineup focusing on high-performance athletes - a lucrative segment with higher margins than basic fitness trackers. The introduction of Garmin's brightest AMOLED displays addresses a key competitive gap with Apple and Samsung while maintaining Garmin's signature extended battery life of 11-15 days.
The devices introduce several market-differentiating features that strengthen Garmin's specialized athletic positioning: Triathlon Coach training plans, running tolerance metrics, running economy tracking, and the step speed loss feature. These data-driven additions target serious athletes willing to pay premium prices for performance optimization.
The product stratification is notable - the 570 featuring aluminum construction at $549.99 and the 970 adding sapphire glass, titanium bezel, mapping capabilities, and advanced metrics at $749.99. This tiered pricing strategy allows Garmin to capture different market segments while maintaining premium positioning.
The addition of modern smartwatch features like built-in speakers, microphones, and voice commands demonstrates Garmin's response to broader consumer expectations while still prioritizing athletic performance. The ECG functionality on the 970 also moves Garmin further into the health monitoring space, previously dominated by Apple.
These releases reflect Garmin's continued commitment to its successful strategy: focusing on specialized, high-margin segments rather than competing directly in the mass-market smartwatch category. The expansion of both hardware capabilities and software services (like the Garmin Connect enhancements) strengthens their ecosystem lock-in - a crucial factor for maintaining customer loyalty in the competitive wearables market.
Advanced smartwatches add new training tools, recovery insights and connected features—all on Garmin's brightest smartwatch display yet
OLATHE, Kan., May 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Garmin (NYSE: GRMN) today announced the Forerunner® 570 and Forerunner 970, its latest GPS running and triathlon smartwatches with advanced training tools, recovery insights, personalized workouts and more to help athletes reach their next PR. Featuring Garmin's brightest AMOLED displays yet, the new Forerunners add a built-in speaker and microphone, Garmin Triathlon Coach training plans, an evening report and more to trusted health1, wellness and connected features. Forerunner 970 also introduces a built-in LED flashlight and new performance features – like running tolerance, running economy and step speed loss – that are backed by Garmin data scientists and sports physiologists. And athletes can do more and charge less; Forerunner 570 gets up to 11 days of battery life in smartwatch mode, while Forerunner 970 offers up to 15 days.
"Created for every athlete who is out there chasing goals and passionate about their data, the Forerunner 570 and Forerunner 970 include innovative training tools, recovery metrics and connected features to help them perform at their best. Whether you're an elite athlete striving for your fastest time yet or a runner upping mileage to prepare for that next big race, these premium smartwatches are here for every step of your running journey."
—Susan Lyman, Garmin Vice President of Consumer Sales and Marketing
Podium-worthy designs and features that go the distance
- Garmin's brightest smartwatch display yet: A vivid touchscreen display and purpose-built 5-button design allow for fast, all-weather access to advanced training tools, everyday health stats and smart notifications.
- Garmin Triathlon Coach training plan: Better prepare for the next triathlon with free training plans that adapt daily and provide personalized workouts based on performance, recovery and health metrics. And, set up, customize and view a week's worth of workouts in the Garmin Connect™ app.
- Custom multisport workouts: Create custom step-by-step multisport workouts in Garmin Connect and send them to the watch to seamlessly switch between different sport types.
- Auto lap by timing gates: When following a course during a run, cross mile or kilometer course points to trigger auto laps at that point versus using GPS-based miles or kilometers.
- Suggested finish line: When running a course loaded for a race, the watch can suggest trimming data to the finish line if an athlete forgets to hit stop.
- Projected race time predictor: View an estimated race time and pace if training continues all the way to race day.
- Built-in speaker and mic: Make and take calls from the watch when paired with a compatible smartphone. Plus, control watch functions with voice commands, or use the phone's voice assistant to respond to text messages and more.
- Evening report: Before heading to bed, receive a report with a reminder of sleep needed plus tomorrow's workout, weather and events.
- Skin temperature: Track skin temperature changes, which can be related to recent activity, sleep environment, potential illness and more. This also helps provide female athletes with improved period predictions and past ovulation estimates—all in Garmin Connect2.
- Breathing variations: Using Pulse Ox, athletes can better understand shifts in their breathing patterns as they sleep3.
Exclusive to Forerunner 970
- Premium materials: A rugged, scratch-resistant sapphire lens and titanium bezel withstand the harshest of environments.
- Built-in LED flashlight: Quickly control the flashlight's brightness right from the display for greater awareness in dark environments.
- Running tolerance: Better understand the impact each run has on the body and receive a recommended weekly maximum mileage to help keep training on track.
- Running economy: Measure overall energy efficiency after several runs using the new HRM 600 heart rate monitor (sold separately).
- Step speed loss: See how much an athlete slows down when their foot hits the ground (HRM 600 required).
- ECG App4: Using sensors on the watch, the app will record the electrical signals that control how the heart beats. The app analyzes that recording to detect signs of an irregular heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation.
What's new in Garmin Connect
With a Forerunner 570 or Forerunner 970, athletes receive access to the following features in Garmin Connect, including Garmin Triathlon Coach training plans, custom multisport workouts and past ovulation estimates. Additionally, when athletes add a course to their event in Garmin Connect, they can now enable auto lap by timing gates, suggested finish line and projected race time predictor.
Forerunner 570
To help athletes achieve their goals, Forerunner 570 includes advanced running metrics like training status, wrist-based running power and running dynamics, acute load, training effect, performance condition, VO2 max and more. Every morning, athletes can see their training readiness score based on sleep quality, recovery and training load so they know whether it's a good day to go hard or take it easy. Runners can also view the daily suggested workout that is made specifically for them and that adapts after every run to take into account their performance and recovery, or use Garmin Coach training plans for running, cycling and strength to train for their next event. When running outdoors, athletes can execute their race day strategy using PacePro™ – grade-adjusted pacing guidance – and train with confidence knowing that SatIQ™ technology and multi-band GPS will provide superior positioning accuracy while optimizing battery life.
Outside of a run, Forerunner 570 can track key health and wellness stats, including sleep score, Body Battery™ energy monitoring, stress, menstrual cycle, pregnancy and more to help athletes keep an eye on their health. It can also track heart rate variability (HRV) status so athletes can better understand their overall health and how their body is navigating the challenges of life and environment.
Packed with connected features, Forerunner 570 lets athletes: receive smart notifications when paired with an iPhone® or Android™ smartphone; download songs from Spotify®, Deezer or Amazon Music (premium subscription required) for phone-free listening; run with greater peace of mind with incident detection, assistance and LiveTrack5; breeze through checkout lines with Garmin Pay™ contactless payments6; and more.
Forerunner 570 is available in two sizes – 42mm and 47mm – and features an aluminum bezel and fun new colorways, like raspberry with a translucent bone/mango band, amp yellow with a translucent whitestone/turquoise band and indigo with a translucent imperial purple/indigo band.
Forerunner 970
Designed for those who are determined to break their own personal records, Forerunner 970 builds upon Forerunner 570 by adding built-in mapping. Whether running on city streets or riding through densely covered trails, Forerunner 970 includes full-color built-in mapping to help athletes stay on track. Before heading out, create or find existing courses in Garmin Connect and seamlessly sync them to the watch to get turn-by-turn directions. While exploring, enter a distance on the watch and receive suggested routes to stay on track and on time with dynamic round-trip routing.
Featuring a 47mm case size, Forerunner 970 is available in popular color options like carbon gray DLC titanium with a black/translucent whitestone band, titanium with a whitestone/translucent amp yellow band and soft gold titanium with a french gray/translucent indigo band.
Available to order on Garmin.com on May 21, Forerunner 570 has a suggested retail price of
Engineered on the inside for life on the outside, Garmin products have revolutionized life for runners, cyclists, swimmers and athletes of all levels and abilities. Committed to developing technology that helps people stay active and elevate performance, Garmin believes every day is an opportunity to innovate and a chance to beat yesterday. Visit the Garmin Newsroom, email our media team, connect with @garminrunning on social, or follow our blog.
1 Activity tracking accuracy.
2 The menstrual cycle tracking feature should not be used in support of conception, contraception or birth control. This is not a medical device and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or monitoring of any medical condition.
3 This is not a medical device and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or monitoring of any medical condition; see Garmin.com/ataccuracy. Pulse Ox is not available in all countries.
4 The ECG app is only available on select Garmin smartwatches with the latest version of the Garmin Connect smartphone app and watch software. The ECG app is not available in all regions; see Garmin.com/ECG for availability. The ECG app is only intended for adults aged 22 years and over. The ECG app is capable of recording an ECG similar to a Lead I ECG and detecting the presence of atrial fibrillation or normal sinus rhythm.
5 When paired with a compatible smartphone; see Garmin.com/ble. For safety and tracking features requirements and limitations, see Garmin.com/safety
6 View current supported country, payment network and issuing bank information
About Garmin International, Inc. Garmin International, Inc. is a subsidiary of Garmin Ltd. (NYSE: GRMN). Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in
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 risk factors and uncertainties affecting Garmin, including, but not limited to, the risk factors that are described in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 28, 2024 and the Quarterly Report on Form 10- Q for the quarter ended March 29, 2025 filed by Garmin with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 001-41118). A copy of Garmin's 2024 Form 10-K and the Q1 2025 Form 10-Q can be downloaded from https://www.garmin.com/en-US/investors/sec/. 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.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Stephanie Kelner and Natalie Miller
913-397-8200
media.relations@garmin.com
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/garmin-unveils-the-forerunner-570-and-forerunner-970-its-newest-gps-running-and-triathlon-smartwatches-for-performance-driven-athletes-302454115.html
SOURCE Garmin International, Inc.
FAQ
What are the key features of Garmin's new Forerunner 570 and 970 smartwatches?
How much do the new Garmin Forerunner 570 and 970 cost?
What is the battery life of the new Garmin Forerunner watches?
When will the new Garmin Forerunner 570 and 970 be available for purchase?
What are the size options for the new Garmin Forerunner watches?
