The Garmin Forerunner 965 might pack a flashlight feature
Garmin has just teased an upcoming running watch with the words “Light up your run”. This might be referring to a flashlight feature that could come baked into the Forerunner 965. Of course, this is highly speculative and we won’t know for sure until the actual launch. It could just be referring to an AMOLED display.
A flashlight on a smartwatch can come in handy in a variety of situations. It can assist you in navigating in dimly lit areas such as a camping site, bedroom, or parking lot. Or maybe during power outages when you need to get around the house or outside. Additionally it can assist you in finding items that you may have dropped in a dark area. Or perhaps when you are running or cycling at night and need to draw attention to yourself. Finally, it can also be used as an SOS signal.
How the flashlight works on the Fenix 7X & Enduro 2
So far, the Fenix 7X and Enduro 2 are the only Garmin timepieces with a built-in flashlight. Between the watch bezel and the band, the LEDs are located above the display. You can turn them on or off by rapidly pressing the light button in the upper left corner twice. This is possible from any menu page on the watch.
The flashlight is not only functional, but it can also be customized. To enter controls, press and hold the light key. Then, in the menu, press flashlight to access the settings page.
From there, you can tweak the brightness of the flashlight or switch from white to red light. You can also select from a variety of strobe patterns, including slow flash, fast flash, SOS flash, pulse flash, and more. During outdoor adventures, you can even use it as a signal to communicate with your friends or teammates. And there’s a distress pattern that flashes SOS in Morse Code for emergency situations!
The flashlight function is available for general use as well as specific activities. You can get to it as described above for general use.
When exercising, you can enable it from the settings menu for specific activities such as cycling, hiking or skiing. For instance, when running, you can adjust the flash to match your cadence. When you swing your arm forward, it flashes white; when you swing it back, it flashes red. The functionality is extremely well designed.
The only disadvantage of using the flashlight is that it can shorten the battery’s life. According to Garmin’s website, using the flashlight at maximum brightness for one hour will consume approximately 10% of the battery power. However, this may not be a big issue considering that Garmin watches come with impressive battery life.
Flashlight coming to new running watches?
Garmin has just posted a short video teaser with the words “Light up your run.” and “Coming soon” on its social media channels. That’s a clear indication of a future running watch feature.
The arrival of the Forerunner 965 and 265 is the world’s worst kept secret. The majority of their details are already known thanks to a slew of leaks, one of which came from the company’s own website! So those will probably be the next Garmin watches to drop.
Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets
This information suggests that some type of flashlight capability might be added to the 965. Other features of the new watch include a sleek AMOLED display and wrist-based running dynamics metrics. So the phrase might just be a reference to a bright AMOLED display.
It won’t be long before we find out. Both watches are expected to go on sale in early March. Perhaps as soon as March 2nd.
Overall, having a flashlight on your smartwatch can add convenience and safety to your daily life. The 965 and 265 will be the first Forerunners to feature an AMOLED screen. There’s an outside chance at least one of these may also be the first in the series to include a flashlight.
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