Image source: Garmin

Garmin’s new Foot Pod stops by the FCC, first images revealed

Garmin’s new Foot Pod lands by the FCC, first images revealed
Current version | Image source: Garmin

The official launch of Garmin’s new Foot Pod should not be too far off as the device has just received FCC certification. The filing reveals the first images of the upcoming device.

Essential readingTop fitness trackers and health gadgets

Now a few years old, the Foot Pod is a small contraption that you attach to your shoelaces or fit in the mid-sole pocket of your running shoes. From there, the advanced MEMS inertial-sensor technology analyses your movements to spit out data that can be used to improve speed, distance and cadence info.

This is particularly useful for indoor tracks and treadmills, but it also has application outside as it increases accuracy when exercising out of GPS reception. Just attach it to your shoe, go outside, and start a run. The Foot Pod pace takes over if the GPS connection on your watch drops and vice versa. In a sense, the thing functions as a type of a consolidation system that broadcasts info via ANT+ to a wide range of Garmin devices.

The next iteration of the device has just landed by the FCC. Unfortunately the filing does not reveal too much in terms of functionality or internal specs. But there are a few pics in the filing which give us some clues on what to expect.

Garmin’s new Foot Pod stops by the FCC, first images revealed
Image source: FCC

The next Foot Pod looks to be more circular in shape than its predecessor. Measuring 3 cm x 3.5cm, it is only slightly bigger than the CR2032 coin cell that powers it.

Garmin’s new Foot Pod stops by the FCC, first images revealed
Image source: FCC

It also adopts a new-style plastic clip mechanism. The pics show a physical button on top which is probably used as an ON/OFF button and a tiny LED indicator next to it.

Garmin’s new Foot Pod stops by the FCC, first images revealed
Image source: FCC

Everything else is pure guesswork at this stage. Of course you can assume improved sensors, better accuracy and the same (or even better) battery life. The current iteration can run up to a year on a single coin cell battery. It is even possible the Foot Pod might provide info on power, giving the likes of Stryd some competition.

Power is a new type of metric that estimates your running effort and intensity by taking into account your speed, terrain change, form, and fatigue. Put more simply, instead of keeping tabs on heart rate, cadence and other metrics, you just follow a single, targeted power number from the start to finish of your run.

The current Foot Pod sells for around $60 and we expect the new iteration to come in at around a similar price point. Considering it has the FCC’s stamp of approval, the official reveal might come in the next few months or in the fall.

You can check out the FCC filing and more images on this link.

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Marko Maslakovic

Marko founded Gadgets & Wearables in 2014, having worked for more than 15 years in the City of London’s financial district. Since then, he has led the company’s charge to become a leading information source on health and fitness gadgets and wearables.

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