Introducing Garmin® epix™: The first Garmin Hands-free Navigator with detailed Mapping
Schaffhausen, Switzerland Jan. 5, 2015/ Business Wire — Garmin International, Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), today announced epix, the first rugged hands-free Garmin navigator with detailed mapping for outdoor enthusiasts. Featuring a 1.4” high-resolution colour touchscreen, epix comes preloaded with Recreational Map Europe, a worldwide shaded relief basemap, a free 1-year subscription to BirdsEye Satellite Imagery plus 8 GB of built-in memory for additional maps.
With the new steel EXO™ antenna for GPS and GLONASS, epix provides quick fix and accurate position while advanced sensors add altimeter, barometer and compass functionality. When paired with your phone epix provides smart notifications, weather forecasts and much more.
epix™ is also compatible with ANT+ sensors like heart rate monitors and Tempe™ temperature sensor for even more data. Additionally, epix supports the Connect IQ™ apps for customisation and smartwatch capabilities
“For the first time, we’re able to pack the punch of an outdoor handheld GPS into a wearable device,” said Martin Resch, EMEA Product Manager for Outdoor. “Garmin is already a leader in GPS wearables, and we’re excited to kick things up a notch with epix by adding preloaded mapping and smart features to a rugged watch that can handle the most rigorous conditions.”
Hands-Free Navigation
epix™ features a 1.4” colour touchscreen display, which allows users to pan and swipe across the watch face to access vivid, detailed maps. It comes preloaded with the Recreational Map Europe covering 44 countries, worldwide shaded relief basemap and a free one-year subscription to BirdsEye Satellite imagery. 8GB of internal memory supports additional mapping like one of the many high quality European Topo maps, City Navigator® for turn-by-turn navigation or BlueChart® g2 maps. epix™ is also water rated up to 50m1, and offers an extended battery life with up to 24 hours in GPS mode, 50 hours in UltraTrac mode and 16 weeks in watch mode2.
epix™ uses the new high-sensitivity steel EXO antenna with GPS and GLONASS support, which offers a stronger signal and quicker fix. epix™ has a full suite of well proven navigation features like track recording and navigation, as well as waypoint and coordinate navigation. To stay on the track once navigating to a location within sight, epix offers Sight’N Go and if lost, it offers users the TracBack feature to safely navigate back to their starting point.
Equipped with auto-calibrating sensors, epix provides relevant real-time information right from the user’s wrist. The altimeter provides elevation data to accurately monitor ascent and descent, while the barometer can be used to predict weather changes by showing short-term changes in air pressure. The 3-axis electronic compass allows users to keep their bearings, no matter if they’re in a deep canyon or heavy forest.
Sport Functionality
In addition to the navigation features, Garmin epix outdoor gps mapping watch is also a full-featured fitness training watch, so users don’t need to change watches between activities. With different profiles for running, cycling, swimming, skiing, trail running and indoor training, epix can record distance, pace, speed, calories burned and more. When paired with a heart rate monitor, epix can estimate the user’s VO2 max, and provide a recovery check after intense workouts3. epix™ can also record advanced running dynamics4, which includes cadence, vertical oscillation and ground contact time to improve the user’s running economy.
Truly Smart and Well Connected
Besides being an impressive outdoor and sports device, epix is also a true smart watch. It comes packed with smart features, is fully connected and gives users the opportunity to tailor to their active lifestyle with ConnectIQ apps. The Smart Notification feature allows users to pair their smartphone3 with the wireless connected epix to receive call, text and email alerts right on their wrist, even if their phone is stored away safely in their backpack. epix™ makes sharing and storing of activities easier than ever with the Garmin Connect Mobile app, via Bluetooth®. If users want to stay in contact during their activities they even can use epix together with the mobile app to start a LiveTrack session that allows family and friends to follow along in real time during a training session, out on the trail or even on race day. To further enhance training, analysis and sharing, additional features are now available in Garmin Connect’s modern view including triathlon support, a new activity detail page, group leaderboards and more.
With Connect IQ, epix can be completely customised to suit the personal needs of the user. Connect IQ is the first-ever open platform for third-party developers to create apps for Garmin products. Through the Connect IQ store on the Garmin Connect Mobile app, users can download customised apps, widgets, data fields and watch faces to make their epix even smarter.
Garmin is working with several app developers to bring a range of epix apps to the Connect IQ store. Tempo, for example, is creating a smart calendar app that will let users see their upcoming events, and send an email from their watch if they are running late. Accuweather is building an app to give users allergy information at a glance. Outdoor-Active will provide a great selection of recreational activities to choose from and navigate along. iSKI is creating an app to provide critical snow information at a glance. Octane is building a Connect IQ app to bridge the gap between outdoor and indoor workouts on the Octane ZeroRunner, so users don’t lose valuable data and can easily transition their training regimen. Moxy, an external muscle oxygen sensor, is creating an app that monitors the oxygenation of critical muscles during a workout, so users can have more insight on what is happening within their muscles.
epix™ can also act as a wireless remote for the Garmin VIRB® Elite action cam. Using ANT+™, users can start and stop recording and take stills right from their wrist. In addition to heart rate monitors, epix is compatible with a variety of other ANT+ accessories such as tempe and the speed/cadence sensor.
epix™ will be available for purchase in Q1 of 2015. Epix RECMAP Europe will have a suggested retail price of £419.99
Garmin epix outdoor gps mapping watch is the latest solution from Garmin’s expanding outdoor segment, which focuses on developing technologies and innovations to enhance users’ outdoor experiences. Whether hiking, hunting, geocaching, golfing, dog tracking, or capturing it all on VIRB action cameras, Garmin outdoor devices are becoming essential tools for outdoor enthusiasts of all levels. For more information about Garmin’s other outdoor products and services, go to www.garmin.com
For 25 years, 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 http://garmin.blogs.com/ukpr/ or our blog site http://garmin.blogs.com/uk/ You can also follow us at facebook.com/garminuk and twitter.com/garminuk
1 For more information on Garmin water ratings, click here.
2 Depending on settings.
3 Heart rate monitor sold separately.
4 When paired with HRM-Run™.
5 Examples of compatible phones include: iPhone® 4S & later, Android™ 4.3, Galaxy S3 or later, Galaxy Note 3, HTC One, phone must be Bluetooth Smart. For the full list of compatible smartphones, click here.
About Garmin International Inc.
Garmin International Inc. is a subsidiary of Garmin Ltd. (Nasdaq: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation. Since 1989, this group of companies has designed, manufactured, marketed and sold navigation, communication and information devices and applications – most of which are enabled by GPS technology. Garmin’s products serve automotive, mobile, wireless, outdoor recreation, marine, aviation, and OEM applications. A component of the S&P 500 index, Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. Garmin is a registered trademark 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.
Notice on forward-looking statements:
This release includes forward-looking statements regarding Garmin Ltd. and its business. All statements regarding the company’s future product introductions are forward-looking statements. 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 29, 2012, 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://www8.garmin.com/company/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.
