The real reason Garmin suddenly cares about beginner runners again

Even though I report on Garmin almost every day, the launch of the Forerunner 70 and Forerunner 170 caught me a bit by surprise. The brand is clearly getting better at keeping things under wraps until the announcement, which is great for us fans, as who likes a dragged-out, rumour-mill-fuelled product launch? Exactly – no one.

The timing of the new Forerunner releases feels deliberate. The company has been very quiet on the hardware front this year, which might come as a surprise after the absolute deluge of last year’s Garmin launches.

In 2026, all we had so far were rumours about the still-upcoming Circa band, the imminent Fenix 9 launch (likely during the summer season), and various smaller speculations about products that may or may not ever come out.

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The watch no one expected to return

I bet no one had “successor of the now 5-year-old Forerunner 55” on their 2026 Garmin release bingo. The smartwatch, which even at the time of its launch felt slightly behind the competition, has become a bit of a cult favourite among beginner runners, mainly thanks to its affordable price point and long battery life.

Not to mention, the most basic Forerunner has always been the least intimidating of the lot, making it all the more appealing to beginners. If you’re new to running and want to make a leap from, let’s say, an Apple Watch to a Garmin, the Forerunner 55 feels like a safe bet.

That said, by now, the watch is old tech. Sure, it’s cheap, but it can’t keep up with other beginner watches in the same category. Sure, it grants you access to the vast Garmin ecosystem for not a lot of money, but that’s pretty much it. Most of the new features introduced in newer Garmin watches will never make it to the Forerunner 55, simply because its hardware can’t cope with them.

Cheap running watches aren’t simple to make anymore

And there lies the first reason why the company decided to launch the new wearables (especially the Forerunner 70): it was long overdue. Garmin needs an option for beginners, who will always outnumber pro runners (by default). It’s a big market, and Garmin can’t afford to miss out on it.

One reason the brand hasn’t launched the watch sooner could be hardware-related costs. Many tech brands struggle with supply issues because AI is gobbling up all available RAM. This affected wearable companies less, but the issue will affect them to some extent.

Also, AMOLED panels and newer heart rate sensors take time to get cheaper. One industry expert told me last year that AMOLED panels are actually cheaper than MIP (memory-in-pixel) screens these days, even though MIP used to be the norm. It simply takes time for tech to be affordable enough to include in lower-end products.

At this point, it’s highly unlikely Garmin will ever launch a new watch with an MIP screen, so it had no choice but to wait for components to become cheaper to launch an affordable Forerunner again.

Garmin can’t ignore the entry-level race forever

Hardware issues are one thing, competition is another. Garmin has gone from strength to strength in recent years, monetising on the running boom, big time. Rightly so; if you want a reliable running watch, most people will recommend a Garmin. The ecosystem is mature, and the software updates keep products up to date for years to come.

However, there’s no shortage of choice if you’re looking for an affordable running wearable. Coros, the last bastion of MIP watches, has plenty of options (see also: Coros Nomad review), and so does Amazfit, which has been coming after the lower end of the market hard in recent years (a good example is the recent Amazfit Active Max).

Both companies have very good wearable options for beginners and pros alike, with their software ecosystem growing by the day (well, almost).

Garmin had to do something to curb the advance of its competitors. The brand isn’t quite in the same position as DJI in the drone market, but Garmin is no stranger to flooding the market with all sorts of products to stay ahead of the rest.

A beginner watch suddenly became Garmin’s priority again

Of course, all of this is speculation, at best. Product pipelines for company giants like Garmin are set for years in advance, and no one in their right mind would rush a launch just to fill a market gap. Neither new Forerunner feels particularly rushed, either; if anything, they feel like the logical extension of last year’s Forerunner 570 and Forerunner 970.

One thing is for sure: both watches are set to be incredibly popular with runners. I’ve been wearing the Forerunner 170 Music for less than two days and am already pretty impressed with it. The screen might be smaller and the feature set not quite as extensive as more advanced Forerunners, but that’s exactly the point.

The new watches will be available from 15 May via Garmin UK, Garmin US, Garmin AU and Garmin EU.