Update: Our Garmin Venu 2 Plus review is live.
Garmin could be about to launch an updated version of its Venu 2 smartwatch.
Rumors and leaked images (below) show a new version of the Venu, with a third physical button on the case.
The information comes in a tweet by reliable tech-spotter Dave Zatz.
And Zatz says that the device will be called the Venu 2 Plus – and that the new button will be tied to microphone capabilities.
That could mean that the Venu 2 Plus comes with a voice assistant, although that’s unconfirmed.
What’s more, microphone capabilities could mean that the Venu 2 Plus can ape regular smartwatch features such as taking calls from the wrist.
For the uninitiated, the Venu is Garmin’s smartwatch range – and offers a full AMOLED display. It’s designed to catch the eye of fitness types, who’s eye has been turned by the likes of the Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, but want to get the benefit of Garmin’s tracking and fitness analysis.
Garmin Venu 2 *Plus* incoming. Adds a 3rd physical button to support microphone capabilities. But will it be paired with a voice assistant?? Hm! pic.twitter.com/E9LO6yK7VK
— Dave Zatz (@davezatz) November 2, 2021
Adding a voice assistant would certainly put it on par with big-name competitors – although it’s debatable how much those features cut through.
Only 29% of respondents listed using a voice assistant as a key feature of smartwatches in a study by CCS Insight.
So it would be good to see any potential update of the Venu 2 expand on other areas of the experience.
We’d love to see Garmin expand on elements of the stress tracking and Body Battery estimate of energy levels – and make them more central elements of the smartwatch experience.
The Venu 2 could also do with a price cut – which could be on the cards, if the Venu 2 Plus arrives at the same price.
How we test
James is the co-founder of Wareable, and he has been a technology journalist for 15 years.
He started his career at Future Publishing, James became the features editor of T3 Magazine and T3.com and was a regular contributor to TechRadar – before leaving Future Publishing to found Wareable in 2014.
James has been at the helm of Wareable since 2014 and has become one of the leading experts in wearable technologies globally. He has reviewed, tested, and covered pretty much every wearable on the market, and is passionate about the evolving industry, and wearables helping people achieve healthier and happier lives.