Suunto Run + New Strap

[raven]

@gerasimos said in Suunto Run + New Strap:

@raven at the price of 250euro the great Suunto app, the maps, and the battery duration plus the lightweight specs… it’s the best at the market i think between the low range Chaos of Garmin
The target group of that range of watches/runner’s is massive and i think Suunto it’s spot on.

I didn’t say the Run was a bad deal?

My point is, to the best of my knowledge, removing modality options that already exist in the OS does not reduce the cost to make the watch. If anything, it adds cost as now the software needs to branch to have two paths: the limited modes for the Run and the extra modes for the Race. Therefore, unless offered evidence otherwise, my conclusion is the limited modalities of the Run are an artificial restriction, meant to cause greater distinction between the Run and the Race. I imagine some executive saying “if we give the Run all those modes, then that will take customers away from the Race version,” that is, Suunto is assuming a certain number of people will pay more for the Race, simply because it offers more activity modes.

Additionally, if I am correct, and Run owners can simply create their own modes to replace the ones taken away, then the modes restriction just somewhat punishes people who don’t do sufficient homework. Those who properly follow a caveat emptor philosophy will get the feature back; those who paid more for a Race only for the additional modalities may in the future feel a bit tricked if they learn they could add what they needed to the Run.

[timecode]

@Łukasz-Szmigiel if not then it’s going to be very strange. There is Vertical, Race, now Run. Race has features the Vertical doesn’t have, like nap detection. Run is not going to have topo maps, reduced amount of sport modes. Other brands have same features, menu, etc., across all models, whether it’s a low or high end model. I am very curious tbh.

[gerasimos]

@raven
I suppose the main reasoning behind Suunto creating this particular watch is very simple, practical, and at the same time highly profitable.
It targets the complete beginner runner who just wants a watch that can simply record a basic running activity. They won’t make use of maps or any other specialized navigation features.
It will be a true entry-level model in the Suunto sports watch lineup—easy to use, lightweight, and inexpensive to produce.
And of course, the €100 difference to upgrade to the Suunto Race is significant, especially if someone doesn’t need all those extra sports modes and features.

[Łukasz Szmigiel]

@timecode strange. Unless there are some changes in the hardware that call for the new OS. That’s my reasoning.

[raven]

@gerasimos said in Suunto Run + New Strap:

@raven
I suppose the main reasoning behind Suunto creating this particular watch is very simple, practical, and at the same time highly profitable.
It targets the complete beginner runner who just wants a watch that can simply record a basic running activity. They won’t make use of maps or any other specialized navigation features.
It will be a true entry-level model in the Suunto sports watch lineup—easy to use, lightweight, and inexpensive to produce.
And of course, the €100 difference to upgrade to the Suunto Race is significant, especially if someone doesn’t need all those extra sports modes and features.

So is your position on the extra modes is that they are too confusing for an entry level person?

I’d need to see the list of what’s included and what is left out to fully accept that. I recall when I first turned on the Race S it had a few watch faces, then after the first software update only one watch faces was present and I had to load the rest from the Suunto app. Sport modalities can be like that — load whatever default number you think a new user will look for, but allow them to simply load others they might need. I think even if someone is coming to the Run only expecting to run, having access to more modes is a good thing to encourage diversity.

I say this from experience. Over a decade ago when I started my fitness journey, it was as a runner. At the time I was running 5-6 days a week, at one point over 50km weekly. I wasn’t really doing anything else. Happily, I never injured myself, but over time I learned over things to diversify. In particular, doing yoga has been great for me. My hamstrings had gotten pretty tight and at first yoga was difficult. Now I can put my feet fully on the ground in downward dog, something I thought wouldn’t be possible the first time I tried yoga. I learned to do handstands and headstands and then took up gymnastics. I hope stretching and yoga are included in the sports modes.

For something like maps, I can see where those might not be needed, and if the Run has less storage on it due to not needing to support apps, then this trade-off makes sense. Even for myself, I only really need maps when traveling, and I see the sense in this differentiation. However, I don’t think additional sport modes take a lot of space in comparison?

As another comparison, imagine if the Run doesn’t allow 24-7 heart rate activity, but only allows heart rate reading during a session. This might make sense if the Run didn’t have an optical HRM and required the use of a chest strap (cheaper watch hardware), but having an optical HRM if Suunto were to say “no Heart widget, no 24/7 heart rate, no sleep mode” because the imagined Run user only wants to run I think would be shortsighted.

Also, over on the Apple Watch, Suunto’s “sister app” Sports Tracker has pretty much all the modes the Race does. So one can get more sports modes from Suunto using Sports Tracker on an Apple Watch than on their own new Run model; that’s silly.

[gerasimos]

@raven yes that’s my position!
e.g
If the basic line and low cost Garmin Forerunner 55 already meets all the requirements for my activities, why should I spend more money on the Forerunner 965?

And yes, developing a watch with significantly less memory and limited software capabilities is much cheaper in terms of production cost compared to a mid range or higher-end model. That’s exactly why the initial build is designed the way it is and later upgraded gradually through software updates.

So, in mass production and with a targeted sales group, the company with new Suunto Run achieves significantly higher profit margins or at the very least, an attempt to capture the segment of consumers who want to spend as less money as possible on a sports watch that is compact, light on the wrist(not metall), and very simple to use.

[Ecki D.]

Still waiting for the Vertical Race Pro Titanium S - so far

[isazi]

If and when this new watch is released, I don’t see much reason for debate. Suunto makes watches, and they release them to market, would be worried if they didn’t.

This should not affect the watch you already have

[gerasimos]

@isazi The only concern I could possibly have is if a better-looking watch comes out than the Suunto Vertical 🫠

[isazi]

@gerasimos I haven’t seen one yet

[gerasimos]

@isazi It’s impossible to make a better one.

[kriskus]

@gerasimos Well, Ocean is also very good-looking But I still love the Vertical

[Brad_Olwin]

@kriskus The Vertical is my go to watch. But the Ocean is the best looking watch Suunto has made! Despite having both, the Vertical is most often on my wrist.

[gerasimos]

@kriskus yup… for me Vertical Ti it’s the perfect blend balance of adventure/tactical colour/urban-rugged style Ocean it’s more clear elegant style.
Both of them great.

[dulko79]

Suunto Ocean Steel black is the best looking watch out there. I hope Suunto offers Ocean without diving features like a Vertical version with amoled display in future.

[herlas]

The Suunto run is my go-to watch and it’s not even released yet

[far-blue]

The Ocean is too chunky and ‘rugged’ for my taste - I loved the 5 Peak and I love my Race S! The Run looks great and being thin and light it is very tempting but I don’t think it will tempt me from my beloved Race S

I am curious about the post-exercise hr tracking though

I’m also hopeful, with the marketing focus on structured workout support that there will be a few of those missing features appearing with the next OS release

[Pavlas]

I would like a Suunto Vertical Steel Black

[mabe2k]

@Pavlas but then the color must be scratch resistant. This is the only thing I dislike on my Race all black.

[Tami999]

@mabe2k Same. I love Vertical look. Don’t like bright titanium in Race and all black easy to scratch.