If you follow Garmin news, you know that finding out about new watches before they launch has become a real challenge. Garmin is getting much better at hiding its tracks, and the old tricks don’t always work anymore. But this morning, I went on a little “digital treasure hunt” that led me straight to the new Forerunner 170 and 70.
The First Clues
It started with my usual routine: checking the FCC (USA), SIRIM (Malaysia), and IMDA (Singapore) databases. I was actually looking for news about a possible Vivosmart 6 or the rumored Cirqa band.
Suddenly, I saw three new model numbers on the Singapore IMDA site: A05206, AA5206, and AB5206.
The description was the “smoking gun.” It listed Bluetooth, ANT+, GPS, and NFC. When you see all those features together, it’s rarely a simple fitness tracker. It’s almost always a full-featured smartwatch.
A Clue in Singapore
While searching the Singapore IMDA database, three new model numbers jumped out at me: A05206, AA5206, and AB5206.
I looked at the “Equipment Description” and saw four key things: Bluetooth, ANT+, GPS, and NFC. As soon as I saw those, I knew these weren’t just simple fitness trackers. Those are the “big four” specs for a real Garmin smartwatch.
Following the Trail to Taiwan
Since Garmin makes its watches in Taiwan, I decided to check the NCC (the Taiwanese database). This is usually the best place to find the “real” details.
I finally found the entries, and this time, I hit the jackpot. The NCC filing had actual photos of the devices. But as I looked at the images of the brand-new Forerunner 170 and Forerunner 70, I realized something—the official launch had already happened!
Behind the Scenes
Even though the watches were already on the Garmin website, looking at these “regulatory” photos was still fascinating. While the official marketing pictures are perfect and polished, the NCC photos show the raw hardware. You can see the real shape of the sensors and the actual build of the casing before all the fancy lighting is added.
It’s a bit funny—I spent all that time digging through databases only to find the watches after the rest of the world already knew about them.
Why the Hunt is Getting Harder
It just goes to show how much more difficult it is to be a “tech detective” these days. Garmin is very careful with its timing. In the past, these filings would sit online for weeks before a launch. Now, everything happens almost at the same time.
I might have been a little late to the party this time, but seeing the “internal” side of the Forerunner 170 and 70 was still worth the effort. Now, the search continues for the Vivosmart 6 and Cirqa. I’ll just have to be a bit faster next time!
Also Read: Garmin Forerunner 70 vs 170 Comparison and Buyer’s Guide
