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I’ve been tracking the Ganance Heir since it was first teased. Everything about it suggests the Ganance Heir will fill the void left by Chronos and Trivoly. This makes the Ganance Heir, what I call, a smart disc. There biggest advantage to this approach, if done right, it means you can switch it easily between watches. It also means you can easily remove it when charging or in circumstances where you don’t need the smart features. If you want smarts for your traditional watch, the Ganance is the only option (almost) available. I pre-ordered mine recently.
The purpose of this post is to share what is known now (July 2023) about the Ganance Heir based on publicly available information I have compiled by scouring various websites. I have also summarized how it compares in size and specs with the Chronos and Trivoly. I do this, not because the others are alternatives anymore, but because if you have used a smart disc before (and I owned the Chronos) you may be interested in how the Ganance Heir compares.
Ganance Heir Features
The Ganance Heir offers three (3) core features:
- activity tracking
- app/text/call notifications
- music controls
I would put activity tracking and app/text/call notifications as the minimum feature set. The music controls, for me, are nice to have but not a must-have. It’s not currently clear how the notifications work, other than they are supported.
Ganance Heir: How it Attaches to Your Watch
According to this YouTube video, the Ganance Heir uses micro suction technology. This is similar to what the Chronos and Trivoly used and it always worked well for me. Microsuction ensures it’s easy to move the smart disc between devices. Microsuction isn’t sticky, it’s not glue and there’s no residue, it sort of friction sticks. Given your watch case back is against your skin, and then you have your watch band holding the watch on your wrist, micro suction is more than sufficient.
Ganance Heir vs Chronos and Trivoly
In all fairness, you shouldn’t compare them as the Chronos and Trivoly are discontinued and their apps are no longer in the iOS app store (although I did find the Trivoly app still linger in the Play Store, last updated over 5 years ago). But if you’re me and hungry for information and have owned a smart disc previously, here’s how the Ganance compares on size and specs.
| Ganance | Chronos | Trivoly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Specifications | |||
| Dimension | 30mm | 33mm | 30mm |
| Height | 3mm | 3mm | 3mm |
| Attaches via | micro suction | micro suction | micro suction |
| Fitness Features | |||
| Step Counting | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Heart Rate | No | No | Yes |
| Smart Features | |||
| Notifications | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Haptic Notifications (vibration) | Yes | Yes | Unknown |
| LED Notifications (color) | Unknown | Yes | Yes |
| Water Rating | |||
| Unknown | IP67 | IP67 |
This means if you’re looking to replace your Chronos or Trivoly, the Ganance would fill that void. The absence of a heart rate monitor isn’t a deal breaker for me (I do have a Fitbit for those moments in my life). The one thing I am interested in is the IPX rating. IP67 is water resistant. In real terms, this means washing your hands is fine and they should survive a minor spill. I haven’t been able to identify the IPX rating of the Ganance.
I haven’t compared the charging tech or battery life, as I feel this is better left to a formal review. The Chronos charged via a little clip-in dock that was powered by USB.
Ganance Heir: Availability
Right now, the Ganance Heir smart disc is available for pre-order at US$149 and ships September 2023. As soon as I get my hands on one, I’ll write up a full Ganance Heir review. I am hopeful it will live up to the promise, as I have been eager to find a way to make my traditional watch just a little bit smarter. I will emphasize, that the Chronos and Trivoly are now discontinued, so if you want to upgrade your traditional watch with smarts, the Ganance is currently the only real option.
Hope this helps someone else!
Important: I am not affiliated with any of the manufacturers, brands, services, or websites listed on this page and this is my personal experience. If you find this helpful and want to say thanks, please buy me a coffee or take a look at my book on Amazon. It keeps this page ad-free. Thank you!