Garmin is preparing a second-generation Venu Sq smartwatch, and a new leak has now revealed the design, new features, and pricing information.
Garmin is preparing a new smartwatch under its Venu Sq line, with details of the Venu Sq 2 wearable having now surfaced online. Garmin's Venu series is split into two - the round-faced Venu line and the Venu Sq. If it wasn't obvious from the name, Garmin's Venu Sq comes with a square dial.
Earlier this year, Garmin announced the Venu 2 Plus smartwatch. The 43mm watch is its most expensive in the series with a price tag of $449. This makes it costlier than the Galaxy Watch 5 and the Fitbit Sense 2, priced at $279 and $299, respectively. While the Venu models are known to be on the high side with respect to price, the Venu Sq models are positioned as cheaper alternatives.
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Like the other Venu smartwatches, the Venu Sq 2 will be available in two versions - a standard and a music edition. Based on leaked press renders provided by Winfuture, Garmin will be using the same design as the first generation Venu Sq. The watch will have Gorilla Glass, textured quick-release straps, two physical buttons, a 5 ATM water-resistant rating, and magnetic charging pins. However, what appears to have changed is the sensor. There are now four photodiodes, up from two on the Venu Sq, which should translate to more accurate readings.
An improved sensor is not the only upgrade the Venu Sq 2 will have. Winfuture also mentions that the 1.3-inch liquid crystal display of the first generation watch has been replaced with a larger 1.4-inch AMOLED display with Always-on display support. The new watch will also have a 360 x 360 resolution, up from 240 x 240 of its predecessor. In addition, the Venu Sq 2 is reported to have improved battery life. While the Venu Sq lasts up to 6 days on a single charge, its successor will offer up to 11 days, making it also miles ahead of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5.
In terms of health and activity tracking features, Garmin's upcoming watch will be capable of 24/7 tracking of heart rate and blood oxygen level. It will also have a body battery energy monitor and advanced sleep tracking. The Venu Sq 2 will come with up to 25 built-in apps for tracking different sports, and a built-in GNSS chip will allow it to track outdoor activities. Furthermore, it will have pre-installed workouts that include cardio, yoga, HIIT, and Pilates.
Like a lot of Garmin's smartwatches, the Venu Sq 2 will have NFC for Garmin Pay, its own version of Google Pay. The Garmin Venu Sq 2 will reportedly cost €269 for the standard version and €299 for the music version, with US pricing likely to be very similar. If these prices are accurate, however, then Garmin is charging more for the new watches considering the previous generation cost €199/$199 for the standard version and €249/$249 for the music edition.
Habeeb has years of experience covering consumer technology and has written for multiple publications. As a Senior Writer at Screen Rant, he enjoys writing about wearables, smartphones, tablets, and Chromebooks. Several of his articles include guides and comparisons that help users get the best out of their devices or choose the one that bests suits them. When he's not writing, he's catching up on the latest TV shows. He considers The Crown as peak drama and Castlevania as one of the best game-to-screen adaptations. And on days when there is nothing to watch (is that even possible?), he sneaks in a few hours of games on his PlayStation and Nintendo Switch.