Garmin cleared the FCC on August 5, a day after the paperwork went in, with a watch it will not name. The listing calls it model A05170 and nothing else. Inside is a radio package pairing cellular that can carry voice with a satellite link limited to data, per Gadgets & Wearables. That means calls with no phone in your pocket where there is a cell tower, and messages where there is not, which is the pairing Garmin first shipped on the fenix 8 Pro.
The straps in the test set were silicone, nylon and vented titanium, and a Garmin titanium band on its own costs $249.99. Garmin says the tested unit has the physical, mechanical and thermal characteristics expected from production hardware. The external photos and the owner's manual stay sealed until February 1, 2027. The Fenix 8 showed up at the FCC on August 14, 2024, and Garmin unveiled it thirteen days later.