A Garmin Fenix 9 retailer leak has revealed what appears to be an 18-model lineup spread across 43 mm, 47 mm and 51 mm sizes, with separate AMOLED and Solar versions plus extensive inReach connectivity. The prices also offer an early clue about Garmin’s strategy.

The leak was first spotted by Fitness Tracker Test, which found the watches listed by Czech Garmin retailer SkiAndBike. The timing is interesting, as Garmin has scheduled its “Play Harder” event for Tuesday, August 25.

There are no proper product descriptions or images yet, so plenty is still missing. But the retailer has published individual model names, Garmin-style product numbers, colour combinations and prices, making this look much more substantial than a generic Fenix 9 placeholder page.

Three sizes and two display routes

The leak points to the return of all three familiar Fenix case sizes. There are six listings at 43 mm, six at 47 mm and another six at 51 mm, giving us 18 configurations altogether.

AMOLED appears across all three sizes. The smaller 43 mm range includes regular AMOLED watches as well as several AMOLED inReach versions, while the 47 mm and 51 mm groups follow a similar pattern.

Solar watches are listed separately from the AMOLED models, so this does not appear to be Garmin adding solar charging to an AMOLED Fenix 9. Instead, the 47 mm and 51 mm ranges include separate “Pro Solar inReach” models. That strongly points to Garmin keeping the MIP-based Solar branch of the Fenix family alive alongside AMOLED.

There is no 43 mm Solar model among the current listings. For now, the smaller watch appears to be AMOLED-only, although it does get something arguably more interesting this time around.

There is also no MicroLED model among the 18 leaked configurations. Garmin introduced the display technology with the Fenix 8 Pro, but the current Fenix 9 retailer listings point only to AMOLED and separate MIP Solar models.

InReach is all over the Fenix 9 range

Garmin appears to be pushing inReach connectivity much harder with Fenix 9. Four of the six 43 mm watches are explicitly labelled AMOLED inReach, including Titanium Shell/Atmosphere, Titanium Gray/Dark Sandstone, Carbon Gray DLC Black/Pebble and Gold Cream/Fog Gray versions.

That makes the 43 mm model particularly interesting. Garmin’s connected Fenix 8 Pro range concentrated its satellite and LTE hardware in the larger watches, but these listings suggest Fenix 9 could bring inReach to the smallest case as well.

The same split continues at 47 mm and 51 mm. Regular AMOLED models sit alongside AMOLED inReach versions, while the Solar watches also carry inReach in their names.

In other words, Garmin may be turning connectivity into one of the main ways it separates Fenix 9 configurations. Instead of every Fenix getting satellite communication, buyers could have a choice between a more conventional AMOLED watch and a more expensive connected version.

The product numbers add some structure to the leak. The 43 mm inReach family uses 010-04335 numbers, the 47 mm versions use 010-04336 and the 51 mm versions use 010-04337. Solar then moves to 010-04338 for 47 mm and 010-04339 for 51 mm.

Pricing does not look wildly different

The retailer listings also give us an early indication of how Fenix 9 pricing could compare with the previous generation. Looking at the percentage differences against the same retailer’s original Fenix 8 pricing, there is no obvious sign of a major increase across the regular AMOLED range.

The clearest change appears with Solar. The leaked 47 mm Fenix 9 Pro Solar inReach is around 7.3% more expensive than the original Fenix 8 Solar, while the 51 mm version is up by roughly 6.7%.

That comparison is not completely like-for-like. Both new Solar models also include inReach connectivity, something the standard Fenix 8 Solar watches did not offer, so at least part of the increase appears to reflect the additional hardware and functionality.

The Fenix 9 picture is becoming much clearer

We have been seeing signs of Fenix 9 for a while, including possible new-device references in Garmin Connect and a growing trail of regulatory and patent clues. These retailer listings are much more concrete because they start to show how Garmin could actually arrange the watches on store shelves.

If the leak is accurate, Fenix 9 will arrive as another very broad Garmin family next Tuesday. There should be three case sizes, separate AMOLED and MIP Solar routes, regular and inReach-equipped configurations, and a wide selection of finishes from day one.

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We compared Zepp version 10.7.3 against the previous release, looking specifically for new device names and hardware-related code. There is plenty of routine stuff in the update, but the solar additions stand out.

T-Rex Dual Solar now appears by name

The first change is fairly straightforward. Zepp 10.7.3 now contains the full product name Amazfit T-Rex Dual Solar in its device resources. This is a first.

At this point the name itself is not a huge surprise. Regulatory filings have already connected model A2570 with the T-Rex Dual Solar, following appearances in several certification databases. But it is useful confirmation that Zepp Health is now adding the watch to the software it will use when the device reaches customers.

This also builds on something we spotted in the Zepp app last month. Back then the code contained references to solar intensity, watch_face_input_power and case_back_input_power, but there was no device name connecting those features to an actual Amazfit watch.

Solar Boost Mode is the interesting bit

The bigger discovery, this time around, is an entirely new solar software package in Zepp 10.7.3. It includes code for solar statistics, intensity readings, charging records and notifications, along with a dedicated solar education graphic.

Among the new components are SolarStatsActivity, SolarIntensityServiceImpl, SolarIntensityDataHandler and SolarBatteryChargeRemotePlugin. There are also references to solar intensity measured in kLux and the same separate watch-face and case-back input measurements we saw previously.

But one feature stands out above the rest. Zepp 10.7.3 introduces something called Solar Boost Mode.

The app explains that when the watch enters this mode, it will only display the time, battery level and solar intensity information. Most other functionality becomes unavailable, including data synchronisation, route transfer, workouts started through the app and some Zepp Coach features.

There are also warning messages for situations where charging efficiency is low and prompts telling the user that data cannot be synchronised while Solar Boost Mode is active.

That gives us a much better idea of what Zepp Health is trying to achieve.

Rather than simply placing a solar panel on the watch and allowing it to trickle-charge during normal use, Solar Boost Mode appears to slash power consumption so the energy coming in from the solar system has a better chance of increasing the battery level. In other words, you may be able to put the watch into a deliberately restricted state when extending battery life is more important than using its smart features.

For a T-Rex device aimed at hiking, expeditions and long periods away from a charger, that makes quite a lot of sense.

It could also make Amazfit’s implementation rather different from the typical solar-assisted smartwatch. Garmin solar watches, for example, generally use sunlight to extend battery life while the watch continues operating normally. A dedicated low-power solar charging mode could give Zepp Health another way of squeezing useful energy from a relatively small solar surface.

There is still plenty we do not know. The code does not tell us how quickly the T-Rex Dual Solar charges or how much extra battery life it can generate.

The earlier watch_face_input_power and case_back_input_power fields remain particularly intriguing. They could point to two separate energy inputs, but at this stage we can’t draw a firm conclusion from those names alone.

The hardware has still not been announced, but the software side is starting to look very close to finished. Zepp Health now has the T-Rex Dual Solar name in the app, a solar statistics interface, charging records, intensity measurements and an entire Solar Boost Mode ready to manage the watch when solar charging becomes the priority.

APK teardown note

This article is based on an APK teardown. Code found inside an app can reveal features or devices that are under development, but there is no guarantee they will appear in a future public release.

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The name shows up in several parts of the app code. This includes a dedicated device definition and sensor registration support, making the finding considerably more interesting than a single leftover string.

Polar H12 is hiding inside Flow

We took a closer look at Polar Flow 7.36.2 to see whether the latest release contained any hints about upcoming hardware. Polar officially describes this version as a relatively minor update that fixes connectivity issues, but there is more sitting under the surface.

One of the more interesting entries is a device specification class named PolarSensorGardener.

Inside it are the names Polar H12 and H12.

That alone would be worth noting, but there is considerably more supporting evidence. The app identifies the device as a heart-rate sensor, allows it to be registered as a sensor and includes it among devices considered published by Flow’s internal device-handling logic.

H12 also appears in Polar Flow’s sensor registration code alongside familiar products including H6, H7, H9, H10, Polar Pro, OH1 and Sense. Another part of the app includes H12 among the sensors that support Polar’s Fitness Test.

The Gardener class is particularly interesting because parts of it still look unfinished. It contains placeholder product text including Polar xxx Heart Rate Sensor and Polar xxx, while one of the support links still points to information for the existing H10.

That combination suggests Polar has created a working device profile before completing all the consumer-facing information.

H12 would make sense as an H10 successor

Polar currently lists three main heart-rate sensors on its official sensor page: the H9, H10 and Verity Sense. There is no H12.

The H10 has also been around for a long time. We reviewed the device back in 2017, so a new higher-end chest sensor would hardly be unexpected after nearly a decade.

What H12 might actually add is impossible to tell from the current code. There are no obvious specifications covering battery life, connectivity or new sensing capabilities.

One other question is whether this has anything to do with the recently filed Polar Pulse trademark. The company made its filing in Europe on July 9, followed by a US filing on July 15. The paperwork covers things such as wearable devices, biometric measurements, software and exercise coaching, so it is broad enough to cover quite a few possibilities.

Naturally, that makes you wonder whether Polar Pulse and H12 are connected. We checked the Flow code for the name, but found nothing tying Polar Pulse to H12 or the Gardener codename. So for now, these look like two separate leads rather than pieces of the same puzzle.

H12 is still the more interesting one. Polar Flow already has a dedicated device profile and explicit sensor support for it, which is much more concrete than a trademark filing. We still do not know when it might launch, what it adds over the H10, or whether H12 will even be the final retail name.

APK teardown note

This article is based on an APK teardown. Code found inside an app can reveal features or devices that are under development, but there is no guarantee they will appear in a future public release.

This article originally appeared on Gadgets & Wearables, the first media outlet to report the story.

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Two Watch D3 models have been certified

The two entries were published by Indonesia’s e-Sertifikasi database on August 11 and August 12. Both name the Huawei Watch D3 and classify it as a smartwatch manufactured by Huawei Device.

That is the first official confirmation of the product name. An earlier Huawei smartwatch roadmap leak mentioned the Watch D3, but at that point it was still just an unconfirmed name attached to a possible 2026 release.

What separates RIV-B10 from RIV-B11 remains unclear. They could be different connectivity versions, regional variants or simply separate configurations, but the certification records do not provide enough information to say.

A clinical trial reveals the important part

The more useful clue comes from ClinicalTrials.gov. Huawei sponsored a completed study involving a wrist-worn ambulatory blood pressure monitor carrying the same RIV-B10 model number found in the Watch D3 certification.

The study enrolled 158 adults and ran from April 17 to June 15, 2026. Researchers compared readings from the Huawei device with a mercury sphygmomanometer while assessing its accuracy and safety against the latest ISO 81060-2 blood pressure validation standard.

No results have been posted, so we cannot say how well the device performed. Still, the matching model number confirms that blood pressure monitoring remains central to the Watch D3.

To remind, like Wellue BP Watch, the Huawei Watch D2 uses a miniature pump and inflatable airbag inside its strap to take cuff-style readings. The two devices are quite similar in the way they operate. The duo can also schedule measurements across a 24-hour period, giving it a very different purpose from watches that estimate blood pressure using optical sensors.

September is looking increasingly plausible

Huawei has confirmed a global launch event in Munich for September 2. The company has not said the Watch D3 will be there, but two fresh certifications and a recently completed clinical study make the timing difficult to ignore.

There is still plenty we do not know, including the design, price, battery life and what has changed from the D2. There are also some claims about possible glucose monitoring. But this should also be treated cautiously because neither the certification nor the clinical record mentions it.

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For those not in the know, QALO was founded in 2013 and made its name selling silicone wedding rings to athletes and people who could not safely wear traditional metal rings. It later entered wearable tech with its subscription-free QRNT smart rings.

QALO moves from rings to wrists

The FCC filing, published on August 17, identifies the new device as the QALO Sport Loop 1, model SL-1. Photos show a screenless rectangular tracker that can be fitted to either a silicone or fabric band.

According to the user manual, it contains optical heart rate and blood oxygen sensors, ECG electrodes and a skin temperature sensor. QALO also lists blood pressure, blood glucose, sleep apnea monitoring, HRV, stress, women’s health and activity tracking. So quite bold claims.

The band itself measures 40.3 by 29.6 by 11.8mm and uses a 110mAh battery. QALO claims more than 10 days of normal use, 30 days of standby time, IP68 water resistance and enough onboard storage for 30 days of data.

ECG readings are started inside the app. The user then places a finger on the electrode for 30 seconds, after which the app can display, save and export the waveform.

That is a lot for one small band, especially the blood glucose, blood pressure and sleep apnea features. However, it’s important to keep in mind that FCC authorization only covers its wireless radio. It does not confirm that any health measurement is accurate.

This hardware has been seen before

Sport Loop 1 appears closely related to the Youhong V8S, a white-label health band already offered to other companies. The V8S manual uses the same dimensions, illustrations, sensor layout and ECG instructions as QALO’s document.

There are some differences. Youhong lists a larger 180mAh battery, Bluetooth 5.4 and an SOS feature, while QALO specifies 110mAh, Bluetooth 5.0 and leaves out SOS.

That does not prove the two products are identical. It does suggest QALO has adapted an existing platform, much like other affordable bands entering the increasingly crowded screenless fitness tracker market.

Some doubts

QALO has already followed a similar playbook with its QRNT smart rings, which appear to use J-Style hardware paired with a custom QALO app. Feedback on social media is mixed, with some happy owners but recurring complaints about battery life, step counts, distance tracking and workout calories.

That does not prove the Sport Loop 1 will have the same problems. It does mean the huge list of health features should be taken with a pinch of salt, particularly blood glucose, blood pressure and sleep apnea monitoring.

QALO has not announced the band, so pricing and launch timing remain unknown. A cheap screenless tracker with no subscription could still be appealing, but only if the app can turn all that sensor data into something people can actually trust.

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A Reddit user spotted the wearable. The tracker appears among Pixel phones, Pixel Watch 5 and Pixel Buds, with Google telling buyers to “Make it a matching set.”

There is just one slight problem. Google doesn’t currently sell the fitness tracker shown in the picture.

This doesn’t look like any current Fitbit

The mystery device has a rounded rectangular display sitting inside an equally rounded case. One of Google’s images shows it with a green band and another with a much lighter strap, but the tracker itself looks consistent between the two ads. Its screen also appears to show the time alongside several small circular complications.

That immediately rules out the Fitbit Air. Google’s newest Fitbit is deliberately screenless, with the small sensor pod sitting inside a band and all of the detailed interaction taking place through the Google Health app.

It doesn’t look much like the Fitbit Charge 6 either. The proportions, corner radius and overall shape are different. Inspire 3 is an even less convincing match because its display and body are considerably narrower.

We’ve created a concept image based on these product shots.

Charge 7 is the obvious candidate

We’ve been waiting an awfully long time for a successor to Charge 6. That tracker arrived in 2023, and earlier this year we looked at whether Fitbit Charge 7 could finally arrive. At the time there were no credible leaks, only the increasingly obvious fact that Google’s most capable conventional Fitbit tracker was getting old.

Google has since given Fitbit a fresh start with Air and the new Google Health ecosystem. The company had previously indicated that new Fitbit hardware would arrive in 2026, although Fitbit Air has already fulfilled that promise to some extent.

A redesigned Charge would still make plenty of sense alongside it. Air covers people who want passive, screenless tracking, while Charge 6 remains the better option if you actually want to see workout stats, notifications and other information on your wrist. There is plenty of room in Google’s lineup for both approaches.

The device in these ads also looks much closer to what a modernised Charge could become. The display appears larger and more rounded than Charge 6, but it remains clearly smaller and simpler than the full Pixel Watch 5. That middle ground has always been the Charge series’ natural territory.

There is another possibility. Google could be preparing a cheaper Pixel Watch A-series device rather than another Fitbit. The prominent “Google Pixel” branding around the campaign gives that theory something to work with, although there is currently no solid evidence of an A-series Pixel Watch.

Then there is the less exciting explanation that Google’s marketing team simply created a fictional wearable. AI-generated or heavily manipulated advertising imagery can produce strange hardware. But all the other devices in the images are genuine.

Also, seeing essentially the same unknown tracker in multiple campaign images makes that explanation a little less satisfying. It still doesn’t prove we’re looking at real hardware, since several ads could have been generated from the same source artwork, but this is now worth watching.

For the moment, calling it Fitbit Charge 7 would be premature. What we can say is that Google is advertising the Pixel 11 alongside a screen-equipped wearable that does not appear to match anything it currently sells, and if this was an accidental preview of Google’s next Fitbit, somebody in the advertising department may have pressed publish a little too early.

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A new Garmin filing in Indonesia has thrown up something unexpected. The model name is listed as “CIRQA SMART RING,” suggesting Garmin may be looking at taking CIRQA off the wrist and onto the finger.

Garmin only launched the CIRQA Smart Band a few weeks ago, so seeing the same name attached to a smart ring is unexpected. It could still turn out to be an administrative mistake. But there is enough here that it should not be dismissed as one without further evidence.

The certification actually says CIRQA Smart Ring

The entry comes from Indonesia’s telecommunications certification database and was issued to PT Garmin Indonesia Distribution on August 12, 2026. It lists the device category as “Fitness Product,” the brand as GARMIN and, most importantly, the model as “CIRQA SMART RING.”

The marketing-name field separately says GARMIN, while Taiwan is listed as the country of origin. The certificate number is 125338/DJID/2026. And the entry appears alongside several other Garmin products certified on the same day, including marine and diving hardware.

That distinction between the fields is worth paying attention to. “CIRQA SMART RING” is not being generated from the generic product category, and it is not merely appearing somewhere in a descriptive note. It sits directly in the model column.

Garmin has not announced a CIRQA Smart Ring, and its Indonesian website currently promotes the existing CIRQA Smart Band. Garmin’s own July announcement also describes CIRQA specifically as its first screen-free smart band, with wrist and upper-arm wearing options.

So there is a clear mismatch between Garmin’s public product range and this new regulatory entry.

A typo is possible, but the wording is oddly specific

Regulatory databases are not immune to mistakes. Product names can be entered incorrectly, fields occasionally contain marketing terminology rather than hardware identifiers. Plus, information supplied during certification does not always match the final retail naming.

That remains the main reason for caution here. It is entirely possible that someone intended to enter CIRQA Smart Band and somehow ended up with CIRQA Smart Ring instead.

Still, that would be a rather specific error. “Smart Ring” is not a minor spelling difference or slightly different translation of “Smart Band.” It describes an entirely different wearable form factor, and Garmin already has an established CIRQA Smart Band name that would have been straightforward to enter.

There is also some logic to Garmin expanding CIRQA rather than creating another completely separate brand. Before the Smart Band launched, Garmin’s CIRQA trademark filing used broad language covering body-worn electronic sensors and physiological monitoring rather than limiting CIRQA to something worn around the wrist.

At the time, that language made sense for what eventually became the Smart Band. In hindsight, it would also give Garmin plenty of room to use CIRQA as a wider family of low-profile health and fitness wearables.

A Garmin smart ring would fit surprisingly well

A Garmin ring would not need a new software platform. Most of the difficult part already exists inside Garmin Connect. This includes sleep tracking, HRV Status, Body Battery, stress, skin temperature and recovery-related metrics.

The recently launched CIRQA band shows the company is also willing to separate those capabilities from the traditional smartwatch format. It tracks health continuously without a screen, sends the data into Garmin Connect and provides many of Garmin’s familiar training and recovery features.

Moving some of that experience onto a finger would make sense. It would put Garmin into a category currently occupied by Oura, RingConn, Samsung, Ultrahuman and others. Our best smart rings comparison shows just how broad that market has become. Most of these devices lean heavily towards sleep, recovery and passive health tracking rather than serious workout recording.

That could actually suit Garmin rather well. A ring could collect overnight and everyday health data while a Forerunner, Fenix or Edge handles workouts, GPS and live training information. Garmin has already adopted a similar two-device idea with CIRQA, which can work alongside the company’s watches and cycling computers.

There would be plenty of technical questions, though. Optical heart-rate performance during exercise remains difficult for smart rings, battery capacity is much more constrained, and Garmin would need to decide how much of CIRQA’s training functionality makes sense on such a small device.

More regulatory appearances would quickly clear that up. A Bluetooth qualification, FCC filing, additional Asian certification or reference somewhere inside Garmin’s own software could establish whether there really is separate ring hardware moving towards release.

Until then, the interesting part is the wording itself. Garmin has just entered the screenless tracker market with CIRQA, and less than a month later the CIRQA Smart Ring name has appeared in an official certification database. That is not confirmation of Garmin’s first smart ring, but it is certainly enough reason to start looking for one.

Source: e-Sertifikasi (via GarminNews)

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Zepp Health appears to be getting ready to launch its first solar-powered watch, and we may finally have a name for it. Multiple regulatory filings identify a new A2570 smartwatch, with the Malaysian registration going one step further and naming it the Amazfit T-Rex Dual Solar.

Three registrations point to the same watch

The trail starts in Indonesia (via Wearablefans), where A2570 appears in the country’s official Sertifikasi Indonesia database. The listing identifies the device as an AMAZFIT smartwatch manufactured in China. Its certificate number is 125183/DJID/2026, with PT GLOBALTAMA SUKSES MAKMUR shown as the applicant.

South Korea’s RRA database also contains A2570. The registration lists Anhui Huami Information Technology Co., Ltd. as the applicant and gives it the verification code RC-hM6-A2570. Certification was granted on August 4, 2026, with China and Vietnam listed as countries of manufacture.

Then comes the Malaysian filing, which gives away considerably more.

SIRIM lists model A2570 together with the marketing name T-REX DUAL SOLAR. The type approval code is RDCX/40N/0726/S(26-4227), with an approval date of August 3, 2026. COMSAT MOBILE COMMUNICATION SDN BHD is listed as the certificate holder.

We also spotted Model A2570 in the Eurasian Economic Union registry. Which adds another regulatory appearance for the same device.

This fits what we found in the Zepp app

What makes this particularly interesting – in June, we found solar-related functionality inside the Zepp Health app. The code included SolarBatteryChargeRecord, solar intensity data and references to watch_face_input_power and case_back_input_power.

At the time there was no product name attached to any of it. The code simply suggested Zepp Health was preparing its software for hardware capable of reporting solar or light-based power input.

A few days later, an unidentified rugged watch appeared on Amazfit Spain’s official Instagram account. It had the chunky round shape and red bezel detail associated with the T-Rex family, but it did not resemble any model Zepp Health was selling.

The display also looked noticeably different from the glossy AMOLED screens used on recent T-Rex watches. We suggested at the time that it could be a low-power MIP display and possibly the solar watch hinted at in the Zepp app. The new T-Rex Dual Solar model now looks like it could be a likely candidate.

The “Dual Solar” name does suggest there is something more going on than simply adding a small solar ring around the display. It could refer to two separate solar collection areas, different types of photovoltaic elements, or some other dual-component charging arrangement.

Zepp Health is already starting from a strong position here. The Amazfit T-Rex Ultra 2 packs an 870 mAh battery and is rated for up to 30 days of typical use. Solar assistance on a watch designed around lower power consumption could push endurance much further.

A launch now looks much more plausible

There was already another clue that the T-Rex family had more to come this year.

During its 2026 earnings commentary, Zepp Health said it had additional T-Rex family products lined up for later in the year. We flagged those comments in June, before the solar app code and these regulatory filings appeared.

Regulatory approval does not tell us exactly when the watch will launch. Still, these multiple certifications suggest the hardware is well beyond the early prototype stage. IFA 2026 is around the corner. Don’t be surprised if the device makes its debut in early September.

Other sources: Sertifikasi Indonesia, South Korea RRA, Malaysia SIRIM, EAEU registry

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Back in May, I asked whether Google and Fitbit Air had just made the case for an Apple Watch Air. The idea was a lightweight Apple health tracker that could sit quietly on the wrist, collect data and leave the apps, notifications and other smartwatch features to the Apple Watch.

Three months later, it appears Apple has been thinking about something along those lines.

Apple has been experimenting beyond the Watch

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple’s industrial design team has spent roughly the past year exploring a wider rethink of its wearable lineup. That work has included devices with different display technologies and sizes, cheaper products below the Apple Watch SE and more expensive models above the Ultra and Hermès range.

More interestingly, Apple has apparently considered wrist-worn devices without displays.

A round Apple Watch has also been explored, although that idea is reportedly unlikely to go anywhere. The screenless concept deserves more attention because it lines up with what is happening across the rest of the wearable market.

This is no longer just Whoop doing its own thing.

Garmin has now launched CIRQA, its first screen-free smart band. It costs $199.99, offers up to 10 days of battery life and puts Garmin’s familiar health and recovery metrics into something designed for continuous wear without requiring a full sports watch on the wrist.

Garmin did not simply copy Whoop’s subscription model either. The core CIRQA experience works without a required subscription.

Google has gone after a different part of the market with Fitbit Air. At $99, it makes screenless tracking considerably more accessible, while Whoop continues to target users who want deeper training and recovery analysis.

Then there are products such as Amazfit Helio Strap and Polar Loop. As we covered in our recent comparison of the best screenless fitness bands, there is now enough choice for these products to be treated as their own wearable category.

Apple has an obvious reason to join in

Apple has a problem that Garmin users will recognise. The Apple Watch can collect a lot of useful health data, but you have to wear a fully fledged watch to get it.

That sounds obvious, but it creates a gap. Someone who wants to wear a mechanical watch cannot quietly collect Apple health data from the other wrist without also wearing what looks like another watch. Sleep tracking also means keeping a relatively substantial smartwatch on overnight.

A lightweight Apple band could solve both problems.

It could also work alongside the Apple Watch rather than replacing it. Garmin has specifically positioned CIRQA as something that can complement its existing watches, allowing users to move between devices while keeping their health data inside Garmin Connect. Fitbit Air can similarly work alongside Pixel Watch.

Apple could arguably make that type of setup even cleaner. Wear the Apple Watch when you want maps, workouts, calls and apps. Switch to the screenless band for sleep, passive health tracking or when you simply want to wear something else.

The software may be an important part

There is another reason Apple’s interest makes sense now. Gurman says Eddy Cue, who oversees Apple’s health efforts, uses both Whoop and Oura products. Apple is also looking at making future wearables more closely tied to AI as its health and Siri software develops.

A screenless product would fit that approach nicely. Without a display, the hardware becomes much less important as an interface. Its job is to collect clean data. The intelligence moves to the iPhone, where Apple could interpret sleep, exercise, recovery and longer-term health trends without requiring the user to stare at another dashboard on their wrist.

That is broadly where this category is heading already. The screenless band is increasingly becoming a sensor rather than a tiny computer.

None of this means an Apple fitness band is about to launch. Apple experiments with plenty of hardware concepts that never leave the design studio, and the company reportedly has not decided how far it wants to take this wider wearable rethink. But the idea doesn’t seem so far fetched now.

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OW266 changes the earlier picture

The new listing describes OW266 simply as an “Outdoor Watch” from Suunto. It sits in the Low Power Radio Equipment category and is listed as having multiple radio interfaces, with EDPLUS PTE. LTD. named as the supplier.

That last detail is interesting because OW265 previously appeared at IMDA through the same supplier. An earlier report attempted to identify OW261 and OW265 as the Suunto Race 3 and Race 3 S, respectively, but we now know that pairing cannot be correct.

As we reported in our Suunto Run 2 FCC discovery, OW261 is actually the Suunto Run 2. There is very little ambiguity about that one because Suunto’s FCC documentation includes finished retail packaging carrying the Run 2 name. The filing also confirms dual-frequency GPS and adds 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi support.

That leaves OW265 without an identity. Now OW266 has appeared right next to it in Suunto’s numbering scheme, with both watches going through IMDA via EDPLUS.

The obvious working theory is that these are the two Race models.

The Race 3 pair is already hiding in plain sight

We already know Suunto is preparing two watches called Race 3 and Race 3 S. In our earlier Race 3 leak, we found references to both devices in material from Suunto’s own website that had been indexed by Google.

That leak describes the Race 3 S as a lightweight trail watch with a 1.32-inch AMOLED display, dual-band GPS and sapphire crystal. Suunto’s indexed text says it will be “available first”, while the larger Race 3 is described as coming later in 2026 with a 1.5-inch AMOLED display and longer battery life.

So Suunto has two known but unreleased Race watches, and we now have two unidentified outdoor watches carrying the closely related OW265 and OW266 model numbers. That is not proof they are the same two products, but the pieces fit much better than they did when OW261 was still unidentified.

Sequential model numbers are another clue, although they should not be overinterpreted. Companies do not always assign regulatory numbers neatly by product family, but two closely related watches being developed around the same time could easily end up with adjacent codes.

We still can’t say which is which

There is not enough in the IMDA records to assign OW265 and OW266 individually. OW266 could be Race 3, or it could be Race 3 S. The same uncertainty applies to OW265.

Also, we have not found equivalent public FCC documentation for OW265 or OW266 that gives away dimensions, labels or retail packaging. That is what would likely settle things. Suunto’s Run 2 filing showed how quickly an anonymous OW number can turn into a named product once the right certification documents surface.

For now, OW265 and OW266 should stay labelled as unidentified Suunto outdoor watches. But with Race 3 and Race 3 S already confirmed by Suunto’s accidentally indexed material, the possibility that we are looking at their regulatory model numbers has just become a lot harder to ignore.

This article originally appeared on Gadgets & Wearables, the first media outlet to report the story.

The post New Suunto OW266 certification may reveal the missing Race 3 model appeared first on Gadgets & Wearables.