What it’s worthwhile to know
- Garmin has acquired audio producer JL Audio, which focuses on “marine, aftermarket automotive, powersports, house and RV prospects.”
- Garmin at present sells a trucker-themed headset and varied marine radios, however would not usually focus a lot on audio units.
- You’ll be able to at present join third-party Bluetooth earbuds to Garmin watches that assist music storage.
Garmin introduced on Tuesday that it had acquired U.S. audio options model JL Audio, identified primarily for its high-end audio system, amplifiers, and subwoofers for individuals upgrading their automobile audio. This is not an space Garmin is thought for, so it is thrilling to surprise what, precisely, Garmin has deliberate.
One main cause to purchase a significant model’s smartwatch is the simple sync between the watch and earbuds. The Galaxy Watch pairs with Galaxy Buds, Apple Watch with AirPods, or Pixel Watch with Pixel Buds. That is what made Garmin’s announcement so initially thrilling: that it would use the audio producer to create paired wi-fi earbuds of its personal.
Trying extra carefully at JL Audio, it seems the model hasn’t made any precise wi-fi earbuds. However TechRadar — which first reported the information — argued that this might change, saying earbuds are the “chink in Garmin’s armor” and that the 2 firms could “collaborate to supply a wi-fi earbuds resolution.”
Presently, Garmin sells two dēzl “Premium Trucking Headsets” for music and calls on lengthy hauls, together with Fusion marine audio system that may be put in into your speedboat. This will not sound like Garmin’s bread and butter, however its latest earnings report exhibits that it sells tons of of hundreds of thousands of {dollars} price of marine or auto units, accounting for greater than 20% of its income.
“JL Audio’s in depth audio expertise will create new alternatives to offer premium audio options throughout a broad vary of our markets and merchandise,” Garmin CEO Cliff Pemble is quoted within the press launch.
Ideally, that broad vary of merchandise would come with fitness-themed wi-fi earbuds, too, however we won’t know that for sure. It is potential Garmin will simply follow the areas the place it already specializes, utilizing JL Audio to enhance the speaker high quality for boats and vans.
Assuming JL Audio continues to launch its typical automobile speaker merchandise, we surprise if Garmin will attempt to goal RVs and different offroading autos as a approach to ingratiate themselves with the hikers that purchase its watches and satellite tv for pc tools.
Garmin is well-known for rising its model energy by means of acquisitions. Firstbeat Analytics, the Swedish physiological analytics and metrics firm, is without doubt one of the essential the reason why Garmin watches offer you such correct outcomes for coaching load, restoration time, and so forth. We’ll see if JL Audio finally ends up having the same affect.
