Leave the phone at home: TomTom Spark fitness watch puts the music on your wrist

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TomTom has launched a brand new fitness watch at IFA 2015, the TomTom Spark, which throws a music player in with a bunch of existing activity features.

In terms of fitness capabilities, the watch is similar to the TomTom Cardio - you can track running, swimming, cycling, heart rate - but there's now a built-in music player that will work without your smartphone. It also adds tracking for gym workouts and indoor cycling - hooray!

TomTom doesn't think that the smartphone is a great device for working out. "We all know what GPS does to the smartphone battery," said TomTom co-founder Peter-Frans Pauwels. "But people put up with it because music matters"

The Spark comes with 3GB of storage, meaning you'll be able to load over 500 songs loaded via either iTunes or Windows Media Player. However the device only works with wireless headphones, compatible with a range of bluetooth headsets already on the market.

Sound-off

While the TomTom watches so far have been designed for use only during activities, TomTom wants the Spark to be a watch you wear all day; there's a 24 hour fitness tracking inside that will monitor your activity and sleep around the clock, not just your hardcore fitness exercises.

As is becoming the norm with wearables, the Spark comes in two different strap sizes, and with a bunch of strap colour options to choose from.

And it wouldn't be a product launch without some sort of partnership - TomTom is teaming up with Ministry of Sound to bring 30 minutes of pre-loaded music to the Spark, a playlist created by MoS DJs.

The Spark will cost £189.99 (around $290/AU$413) when it goes up for pre-order on September 3, with more models, including a version without the Cardio features, to follow in October.

Hugh Langley

Hugh Langley is the ex-News Editor of TechRadar. He had written for many magazines and websites including Business Insider, The Telegraph, IGN, Gizmodo, Entrepreneur Magazine, WIRED (UK), TrustedReviews, Business Insider Australia, Business Insider India, Business Insider Singapore, Wareable, The Ambient and more.


Hugh is now a correspondent at Business Insider covering Google and Alphabet, and has the unfortunate distinction of accidentally linking the TechRadar homepage to a rival publication.