The Polar 360 Explained: A Whoop Competitor?
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- čas přidán 12. 06. 2024
- Polar has just announced the Polar 360, which is a Whoop-like heart rate sensor and 5-day battery life strap that has massive overlap between existing Polar products, and the Whoop 4.0 band/sensor/platform.
But, how do they differ, and when will it be available? I dive into all those things.
#Polar #Whoop #polar360 - Sport
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Garmin have a huge opportunity here to make something like this, direct to consumer, without a subscription. I know I'd buy one in a heartbeat
They do! But it seems they are not interested in making anything else but Fenix variants and Venu watches. Nothing really new from Garmin in a while 😕
Probably afraid of the cannibalism effect on their watches.
I don't get it. For day to day use a band without screen would be fantastic. And if you want to do an activity, you can just switch to a proper sports watch. So no cannibalization effect. @@idekatt
Instant buy!
@@idekatt I see it more as an additional option. Personally I'd want to own both. Wear the "whoop" style device 24/7 and only wear the watch when I'm working out
I want to wear a mechanical watch on one wrist with a fitness tracker on the other with no face. No subscriptions and under $100, I’m in.
Sub-$100 might be tough, but otherwise I’m there for it!
Sounds good, second Apple Watch and second knackered screen. I’d be happy with a real watch and one of these as well.
@@Dcrainmakerwhat price point do you think makes sense for a non subscription item like this?
Sounds like what you were looking for was the Amazon Halo band. No screen, long battery life, all the health metrics. There was a subscription but I don't recall it doing anything important. Believe it was under $100 as well. Unfortunately, as Amazon will do, they junked it.
@@sillydillybar I suspect retail price here would be in the $169ish range, maybe up to $199USD (no subscription on either). Amazon's was tied to a subscription, and obviously, was a hot piece of junk. You figure you can't get a Whoop unit for anything less than a 6-month sub (which is 6x$30=$180), or $239 for an annual pass. I'd argue every one of Polar's algorithms (and sensors) beat Whoop across the board. Whoop's app is far better at displaying that data than Polar's, but as these companies learn - the more complex the data, the more complex the UI (Whoop's data is rather simplistic).
Is the Polar 360 at $199 priced for a Vantage V3 or Polar Grit X2 Pro user? Nope (and it shouldn't be). It should be priced to bring new people into the ecosystem, and convert Whoop users.
Not releasing that to the consumer is a big mistake. I would buy one. And I’m sure lots of others would too. A Whoop style band with all the data that could connect to your polar watch and smartphone. Would be absolutely amazing. Rethink things Polar!
send them an email, if many send them an email, then they would. many people don't realise that if you don't actually communicate with the companies you don't get them to react.
What is the point of having such a band without a screen on your hand? Way I figure, I rather just have 1 watch that does the same continues tracking and add a chest strap if I want better accuracy while doing some activity.
What I might do with such a strap though is wear it during sleep, if it offered some better tracking that isn't available on a watch.
All I want is an affordable version of Whoop 😭
yep, same, i dont get it why Garmin or Polar didnt do that instead of repeat products every year
Polar needs to release this to consumers. I’d buy it immediately to try it
Polars strategy is so out of touch lol. You're absolutely correct in that they should release this themselves
bruhhh. How are we not getting this directly to consumers? Especially if they could do it without a subscription.
people who say 'bruhhh' have questionable maturity
@@MarkAndrewSinnottpeople who judge a commenter based on their vernacular rather than the content of their comment have questionable maturity. Ignore my username
Can Polar just hire this guy already, he seems to know a lot more what's best for polar than their own executives!)
I simply cannot fathom why Polar and Garmin dont have consumer products that directly compete with Whoop.
It seems so insanely obvious but I guess they think it would cannibalise their expensive watch sales (which is silly, since it would actually drive them once the fitness tracker gets people hooked into the platform)
I agree, I just think they should offer it as a companion. So you buy the fenix, forerunner etc… then for like £100 you get the companion which does all the fitness tracking when your not wearing it. They get extra revenue plus the original sale, we get to wear fitness watches for running etc when the screen is needed and the option to keep our fitness data and wear nothing or our mechanical watches most of the time.
@@WillCL1994 I’d also love the ability to wear a screen less band for sports where a watch is banned e.g. football, basketball. There is essentially no Garmin or Polar product for any team sports unless you are willing to just capture HR data only.
They could even sell it as a premium subscription product ala Whoop while allowing the watches to continue to be a one off cost with free access to connect
I think the fear is greater than you might expect. Most people would just use the app, so watch sales could suffer. I think things like bike computer sales would be safe, though I wouldn’t need my chest strap anymore. Though I adore my Garmin Fenix, I don’t use the map function everyday, and I’ve developed an allergy to Garmin rubber straps, so it’s no longer possible for me to wear it all the time.
Polar should listen to you, I think you are right. Polar should put this on the market, I would buy it if it was reasonably priced.
Turn the Verity Sense into a Whoop competitor with no subscription and I’d buy one.
If Polar instead leaves it to spray and pray for other companies to build an ecosystem around vs owning it themselves, I’m not quite sure what they are doing.
Bring it onnnn Polar! 🔥 We want it 😍
I just watched your video that you made about your garmin forerunner 305,very helpful I just bought one from a thrift shop today
I’ve been wearing Whoop band since 2016/2017, when they first came out. Whoop needs more competition so that they can innovate at faster cadence.
Totaly agreed, a polar whoop competitor could bring me back to polar's ecosystem
Not a fan of wearing my big Garmin 24/7 to measure recovery as well as activities. Something slimmer like this would be money! I’d then just wear a sports watch for…. Sports. 😂
I like your scientific testing mixed with personal experience. THX
Why has Garmin not done anything like this? I miss wearing my mechanical watches and their watches are a bit uncomfortable to wear while sleeping. It would be good for Garmin to have this and track everything in one app.
I was just thinking the same thing. I like the idea of this type of device (albeit I would prefer one worn on the upper arm like my Polar Verity Sense HRM); but, I am too invested in the Garmin ecosystem to want to start using another app.
Because then you probably wouldnt have bought their watch right? ;)
@@idekatt I would still have a watch for activity tracking; but, it would enable me to wear dress watches or my pocket watch etc without loosing the health tracking data.
Something like this or even a ring. I would be very interested.
Technically the high end HRM straps by Garmin do it already. They record steps, intensity minutes and calories. So making it into a different form factor would be relatively easy.
What a tease for us consumers... I think a lot of us have been waiting for a whoop alternative from Garmin, Polar, Suunto or Coros.
I'd totally buy this. I like Polar's app better than anyone else's even though I don't think their watches are quite as nice as the competition (I appreciate the simplicity though). Which is why I use the Verity Sense for workouts and have a Garmin watch for everything else. I think the Whoop is okay for what it is but I just don't think it's accurate enough. It would be worth the price and renewing every year if a more accurate version was released. Which is why a Polar version would be perfect.
This would be perfect to be released directly to consumers. It would fit me perfect for stying in Polars excellent deep analyze metrics but at the same time wear one of my mechanical watches or if I don't want to sleep with the bigger polar watches on my wrist. Bring it on Polar!!!!
I'm a Whoop user, but I'm glad to see more competition in the market-it drives innovation and ensures that everyone provides their best. My only issue with Whoop is the high subscription cost. I don't mind paying, but I wish it were more affordable, perhaps £15.99 a year or £2.99 a month. That price point would be reasonable if it helps with development and company operations. However, the current price tag is quite high, and once the subscription ends, the device becomes useless.
Sounds like an amazing product, why on earth they don't sell to consumers is mind boggling.. It's a sure win
Is there a real alternative of Whoop? I would buy it in a heartbeat.
Now Garmin! 🙏
Totally agree! If this going to be a Consumer wearable then it could be a Homerun to Polar, that is if they sort out the Heart rate sensor - but given that its in forearm or bicep then should be a lot better.
I just which they realize this possible sales and change their mind. And when they decided to bring to consumers, I hope they dont get too greedy and put Subscription thing on it like others lol.
P.S. Also they have to think fast, other competitors like Garmin is looking at this and might consider it given the thing being on spotlight right now. If they release it late, then it reduce the possible sales they could have. Polar think fast!
I'm really excited to see where this goes. I've wanted a Whoop for a while to replace my watch, but the price + subscription keeps me from committing.
I would like something like this from Garmin. When I'm not wearing the watch I could use the wristband. Especially when I'm sleeping, it's more comfortable than wearing my Garmin Fenix 7X!! Most importantly I could still track data when I'm not wearing the watch.
I’d get one and I’m a whoop use.. releasing this to consumers would be awesome for Polar 😊 Pete 🚴🏻👍
Great review. Very interesting. I’ve thought of getting a whoop a few times but don’t want any more subs. My watch is a garmin and I like it. Releasing a consumer version of this polar strap might get me into the polar eco system, and there is no other way that is going to happen. They’re missing a chance here to bring a lot of others into their platform eco system. Ah well.
It would really be great if they would market this direct to consumers. Especially if it is more accurate than a Whoop strap and doesn't require a subscription. Maybe it will force Whoop to release a more accurate strap (every time I move my arms fast, I get excessively high heart rate, and it's always low for sharp intervals compared to my H10).
I would wonder who their target is for this product, maybe a gym with a membership that could just kill the wristband when you stop paying?
Obviously you wouldn't be able to support it with a membership to a major gym but a more localized one maybe, with higher fees. If it's an included perk for a gym membership like that they could be looking at paying polar a really low unit price (at cost?) and then a % of membership dues.
Something like this is needed in the market space, whoop need competition to hopefully get there overpricing down a peg or two. I find whoop way to expensive but I would like one.
Can you update the data to Garmin connect? Even if it’s not a garmin?
Does it have an alarm function? Just think about replacing my Fenix as a sleep tracker and alarm clock
I'm searching since ages for a Band that I might not even want to wear in my wrist but hidden on my upper arm somewhere. Seems like this is only available from whoop right now as a subscription...
When did you get to Florida?
Hope garmin follows 🙏. I sometimes wear a vivosmart 4 because my fenix 7x is too big for daily wear, but the vivosmart has way too few metrics.
Would buy it in a heartbeat, it's perfect if you want to wear a traditional watch and still want the data, like my husband does. Might even get one for myself for sleeping, as it might be more comfortable than my big vantage v3.
100% agree. Sell this strap for 399 EUR but without the monthly payment.
Too expensive I think. You can get a great Garmin watch like Forerunner 165 for 250 USD. Verity Sense is 100 usd. I think Polar could sell 360 for 130-150 usd.
Some time ago, I suggested to Garmin to make a product like this (as armband) exactly because wrist is a highly contested area. I suggested multiple scenarios. Perhaps if more people asked... A ring could work as well but I like being able to hide it under clothing and it doesn't get in the way.
I have no problem wearing a plastic sports watch during a workout. But I don't want to wear it all the time. And you need 24/7 data for all the features to work properly. At this point, I can't see Garmin beating Apple when it comes to integration. And Garmin makes only two metal watches - one is a fitness tracker and the other is MARQ which is bulky and overpriced in my mind (primarily because of how quickly it gets obsolete). All the rest is either plastic or plastic-metal hybrid. Ideally, I would wear a mechanical watch. But phones these days are so compromised that I really like an Apple Watch. Enough that I begrudgingly sold my mechanical watches. In the meantime, I bought the diving kit or whatever it's called (the very long strap) and wear 965 hidden on my upper arm. :-)
I would buy that in a heartbeat if Polar released that. Having an option to wear my Junghans on one hand while still being able to track my day with a non-subsctiption band like that would be awesome. And wearing my V3 only to training without losing the daily data. Amazing, make it less than a 100 bucks and Im in.
Now with ios17.5 there has been updates to notifications of AirTags following you cross platform. How will this impact anti-theft features? Can you please do an update video of the same
Oh the Maker family is stateside!!!
Stalking there Matt? 😂
@@glenmcfarlane - exactly!
Garmin - make one asap!!
Are there other whoop competitors? I don’t want a smart watch…
@@Jay151 Not so good when bouldering or playing beachvolleyball, especially as the rings are pretty thick.
Yes, thanks but the ring isn’t the right form factor I think
I want a Garmin companion type device, happy to buy the watch (Fenix 6pro atm) then even pay another £100 for a companion product. So I can wear my mechanical with the companion one most of the time and the Garmin when running etc… this way I don’t lose any of the fitness metrics and all tracking is in one app.
As a analogue watch fan boy i got excited for a moment there. The option to wear a tracksr strap on one wrist and one of my nice watches on the other with out the ridiculous rip off subscription model is the dream for me...Garmin where you at guys?!?
Garmin needs to sell their premium watches to raise it's brand, so they will offer Marq instead a strap.
I have been saying this for a few years now. I wish Garmin would have some sort of ring or light weight whoop-like band as a companion to my watch that I can wear at night instead of my Fenix 7 or Epix. I WOULD BUY IT immediately if it was priced right because I really hate wearing my watch to bed - yet I want the sleep tracking.
I really hope Garmin introduces a band for the days when I would like to wear a formal watch while maintaining the data in the Garmin ecosystem
I was looking to buy this 20seconds in… 😂
I would love this Device and it would be a hit if it's a no subscription Device.
Don''t understand why they don't release it to the market.
At the same time, what is up with the Polar App UI? It's light years behind Whoop.
Would 100% get this or a similarly product from Garmin. Like my mechanical watch and would wear a tracker if it had no wcreeo
So what do we need to create our own LLC and then buy enough for all of us??
🤣
Looks like I'm setting up a Business to get one then! 😂
Garmin should make something like this to wear while sleep because it’s so comfortable compared to wearing a watch when you’re sleeping. #Garmin
I am waiting for the Fenix 8. I won't need a whoop clone
If they'd release, i would be completely in. Lets just hope that companies soon pick up on this. My worry would be though, that yhose companies cant sustain and they'll keep disappearing like other fitness tracking companies before.
Its almost like they purposefully avoid the competition with Whoop.
Any competitor to Whoop would be nice ! You say your next video will be about your watch but the last email I just got from Zwift tells me something else 😉
Edit : it's already on your website, that was quick 👍
this is what I wish Garmin would do with the vivosmart
You mentioned some dissatisfaction with Polar’s value proposition. By pursuing an IP / software / expertise licensing strategy, Polar can focus on their strengths. Imagine if Apple picks this up and integrates it into something. The distribution would be an order of magnitude beyond what Polar could achieve on their own.
In theory yes, in practice it’s messy. Apple will never ever license this. They’d acquire the company, if anything, but even then that strategy hasn’t happened in quite a while for their wearables division - and they wouldn’t want Polar’s baggage.
Polar certainly has many other companies that can and will license it. But there’s a balance where Polar needs to maintain their brand “value” by producing their own products. That value has largely faded the last 5-7 years, as consumers transition. Since any company that licenses this from Polar is likely to 2nd tier (relative to Apple/Samsung/Google/etc), it’ll limit consumer awareness of the Polar core brand.
@@Dcrainmaker I agree. Apple was maybe an extreme example. Based on what you’ve said, it feels like maybe hardware strategies are getting difficult / expensive / non-profitable for Polar, so this potentially keeps them alive with core tech and expertise but not the expense and overhead of doing their own hardware. Let someone else worry about manufacturing, marketing, distribution, etc.
I’d buy a whoop without a subscription tomorrow, never going to get one on a subscription.
I wish companies like Polar and Garmin would make bands or fitness rings like this that aren't worn on the wrist. I like wearing luxury watches but want my data too.
I just wrote to Polar to ask that it be put on the market. if many of us did the same it is possible that they would consider it
If they make it I’ll go back to Polar again.
Would love for Garmin to release something similar just so I can stop wearing a watch to bed.
To me, it looks more like a competitor for Fitbit. How do those 2 compare?
I would buy that! I also don’t think that Polar should take the Nokia way and just sell out its technology.
I think you need to get out of the sun, Ray 🌞😊
It’s been a long few days. Might have missed a spot or two today on sunscreen post-run, waiting for launch. 🚀
@@Dcrainmaker 😂
HRV like H10 has?
Polar actually has HRV on most of their wearables, it's just buried so far down in the app stats, nobody knows it's there. Note that HRV (tracking during sleep) is a bit different than RR intervals typically tracked on an H10.
I'd suggest it's not ready yet (not good enough), that's why they don't plan to release it to customers (yet). Once it will be good enough, it will be available to customers. At least I hope so ...
Never seen anyone exept influencers wearing Whoop. Its an open goal for a company to do a competitor without the subscription.
Meanwhile in the Garmin HQ: Guys, we need to introduce another generic AMOLED smartwatch!
Honestly I hate wearing a sensor on my wrist. Can't wait for something that I can wear above the forearm/arm.
I'd also like to buy/pay for a device once. A subscription for hardware is just ridiculous to me.
Finally too, I hope selling to businesses doesn't mean, offloading the privacy responsibilities all these biometric data to them? 🤷♂️
Alright Garmin, we need it!
Believe it or not, I would like this device so I can use a Casio G Shock again.
I signed up with my 1 person business, hope they call me. I have been looking so long for something like this
This is a product for insurance companies. They'll offer you a large discount if you wear one of these and give them the data.
Then when you want to make a claim they'll be able to offer either nothing or reduced cover due to a "pre-existing condition". :P
This is why almost no one talks about what's happening to the data that gets gathered.
@trainerroad?
They need to do a 180 and start selling to consumers.
I was always interested in Whoop, but at 30€ a month it’s a hard pass for me. So this could be an alternative to it.
Where do we find how much this is? What's their website, I'm struggling to find it.
I see this being picked up by health insurance companies. Otherwise, why would I choose this over an Oura ring outside of price ?
It's sad ! I don't want to wear a digital watch every day so this band would have been awesome with my V3 on the side during training
Only 5 days battery life? On a device without gps or screen? Overall ok
What Polar is doing is diversifing. They have their lineup, but making HW is hard and they believe that have solid enough platform and algorithms, that they could offer it to other companies who will make HW themselfs. Much easier being a SW company without taking HW risks...
Never been convinced by whoop (dont like the sub. Dont trust the unit) but i could be convinced by polar. Am i going. O be convinced by polar business partner,. Like very probably not, but i have no idea what that really means
Maybe goes to show how expensive and necessary marketing is. Polar have literally got the product after presumably spending some real money to develop it, and in their estimation they are better off letting others do the dirty work. Kinda fascinating.
If it trackers steps it’s a winner
I'd buy this if it were available. Polar selling this to other companies and not to the consumer is pretty bone headed.
Wait for someone to take these and get like a nba or mlb deal where they brand it per team and people will buy them
OMG, Polar is missing THE chance of the decade. The combination of the new Grid and these devise - the reason to switch back to polar.
Lets hope Garmin does a better job 😊
Subscription through a third party? That'll be a hard no from me.
SOunds like your health care provider will get access to this so they can adjust your premiums accordingly 🙂
Sounds to me like the idea behind it is for industries to force employees to wear them so they can monitor when they take extra breaks lol. I’m not liking the direction Polar is taking.
Have they not done the market research??? There are so many people who want a Whoop but don’t want a subscription. This makes zero sense lol
As MKBHD said with the Humane Ai, “Why would I need one when I already have a “smartphone” [on my wrist] that does everything?”
I think, for now, Whoop had demonstrated the difference quite well. That said, I certainly don’t disagree with you - and think a lot of people would prefer to buy the Whoop app as a sub that just runs on their Apple Watch (akin to Athlytic).
Agreed with DCRainMaker. And the fact that MKBHD is far from being a recognized expert in the subject...
If they released this and didn't charge a monthly fee... they'd blow Whoop out of the water.
That being said... 5 day battery? My Fenix 6s Pro still gets more than that, and has a screen.
Why so much schwitzen?
Greatest product ever with the most IDIOTIC marketing strategy behind.