Despite the claims of analysts that the smartwatch market is in decline, established companies, as well as less-known firms, continue to unveil new devices each year. Among these is New Balance, which has announced that its new RunIQ smartwatch is now available.
The smartwatch was first announced at the Consumers Electronics Show 2017 which gained a moderate amount of attention from consumers despite the countless number of similar devices. This was mainly due to its tag, claiming that the smartwatch is made by runners for runners.
The RunIQ fitness smartwatch, for those who want more functionality than that of a fitness tracker, was developed by New Balance in collaboration with a number of other companies like Intel, Strava, and Google, which garnered the interest of many users, curious about what the device can bring to the table.
The RunIQ does not disappoint if you are mainly going to use the smartwatch for its fitness functions as it includes everything that a runner might need during a training or just a casual run. The device comes with a heart-rate sensor, built-in GPS, as well as an interval function. For those interested in more advanced functions, you should know that the smartwatch also includes several trackers for pace, distance, and course.
The RunIQ has a water-resistant body, in which you can find an Intel Atom Z34XX CPU, as well as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi functionality similar to all other smartwatches. The design of the watch is also sports oriented, as it features a strap which allows your skin to breathe and sweat thanks to the gaps inside it. However, the watch can still be worn throughout the day casually, not only during exercises.
New Balance included three physical buttons on the side of the device. One button opens the RunIQ app, the second one is used as the home button, while the last one can be used for various functions like music control or lap change.
The watch will run at first on Android Wear 1.5, but it will very likely be upgraded to Android Wear 2.0 once the OS will be released. The watch costs $299 and it’s currently only available on the New Balance website.
What do you think about the new RunIQ smartwatch?
Image credit: New Balance
Latest posts by Nancy Young (see all)
- Missouri Man Robbed by Date and Accomplice in Park - June 22, 2018
- Bose Poised to Launch Sleepbuds, In-Ear Headphones That Help You Sleep - June 21, 2018
- Russia Is Developing a Space Debris Laser to Keep Space Clean - June 15, 2018