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MOBILE MAPPING WAS GARMIN’S GAME before the world’s most valuable company threw its hat in the ring by sticking a GPS chip into its second-generation iPhone. Now, Apple is cutting into Garmin’s wearables game too. Not only does the Apple Watch have a built-in heart-rate monitor, the latest release has its own GPS/GLONASS chip (GLONASS is Russia’s GPS satellite network). Add in the power of the App Store, and the possibilities are limitless. But, there’s one thing that Garmin has over Apple: purpose. Everything about the F?nix 3 HR watch is designed for the backcountry user, whereas the Apple Watch is a mainstream device. It’s a great fitness tracker, but can it and the current app offerings hold a candle to Garmin’s backcountry expertise?
