Tech company Garmin is closely following in the footsteps of Apple with its newly released Forerunner 225.
The Forerunner 225 is the first-ever wearable of the company that features an optical heart-rate sensor, much like the newly-released Apple Watch. Most of the previous fitness trackers and wearables from Garmin already feature a heart rate sensor, but the feature requires the user to wear a wireless chest strap in order to measure heart rate.
According to Garmin's vice president of worldwide sales Dan Bartel, the wearable is a culmination of a partnership with Mio, a tech company known for its award-winning performance wearables.
Bartel said, "After more than 10 years of developing GPS running watches we are very excited to team up with Mio to introduce our first device featuring wrist-based heart rate."
Bartel also added that the new Forerunner 225 is made more comfortable and efficient without sacrificing the wearable's performance.
He said, "Getting and understanding your heart rate is more comfortable and easier than ever with the Forerunner 225's real time results on a colorful gauge – allowing runners to evaluate and adjust effort quickly so they can focus on their run."
The Forerunner 225 uses a built-in optical sensor that shines light into the user's skin. By contact with the user's wrist, the sensor measures the amount of light that reflects back. The slight changes and measurement of the reflected light as blood pumps through the wrist tells the sensor, coupled with an advanced filtering process, the user's current heart rate.
Aside from the built-in heart rate sensor, the wearable has other features fit for a fitness buff. Other built-in apps include steps, distance, and calorie counter; a sleep monitor; and its own "move bar" – an alarm with vibration that signals when the user has been stationary for a long time.
