The aptly named Suunto Run looks to focus on runners looking for a watch that weighs very little and still tracks their activities. At 36 grams, it sounds like an easy win to run with.
There are many, many wearables out in the world today available across the major two mobile ecosystems— Android and iPhone — but they all typically have one thing in common: a focus on health tracking.
Your health is the primary reason wearables typically exist. They track it — your fitness, your heart rate and steps and other parts of your life, bringing together a better picture of your health than simply standing on a scale could deliver. And regardless of what operating system they run, they’re typically made for folks to be active with, or to encourage being active with.
But there’s one area they also often share, and it’s not a great one: battery life.
Only a handful will last beyond a week from one charge, and the big ones need to be recharged on the first or second night. The Apple Watch typically needs a nightly charge, and the most recent incarnation of the Google Pixel Watch isn’t much better.
About the only smartwatch that gets close to long life is an analogue hybrid from Withings. But if you want a full screen and a GPS, you’re not always in luck.
Finnish wearable maker Suunto has been looking into that, and is launching a new watch with battery life and GPS in mind, provided you don’t need payment support or apps.
Focused on running, hiking, swimming, and sports of all kinds, the Suunto Run offers a 1.32 inch AMOLED touchscreen watch with three buttons and a crown, and a lot of fitness tracking, covering 34 sport modes.
GPS support is part of the package, as is support for an app, support for offline music with MP3 storage, Bluetooth access for the watch itself, and a battery life capable of support up to 12 days on one charge. That’s nearly two weeks of battery life, provided you’re not relying on the GPS navigation, which will bring down the battery life considerably, down to around 20 hours of use.
The new wearable also comes with Corning’s Gorilla Glass giving it a degree of durability, plus a Velcro band you can equip yourself with a little bit of effort.
One thing you won’t see from the new wearable is an operating system that gives it apps. There’s no Google WearOS on this wearable, though there is an app for both iPhone and Android, and that may not be a problem, either.
Rather than focus on apps — something that may not matter — the Suunto Run is built for activities, and built to be light. As such, the Suunto Run is a 36 gram wearable, and may not feel like you’re wearing much at all.
It will see release shortly across both Australia and New Zealand, priced at $449.99 in Australia, while New Zealanders can find the Suunto Run for $499.
