Latest news with #Connect+
Forbes
08-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
More Future Garmin Watch Features Will Be Locked Behind The Connect+ Paywall
Garmin Instinct 3 watch In a recent earnings call, Garmin confirmed it plans to begin placing more features behind its Connect+ subscription paywall. As part of a Q+A section of Garmin's Q1 2025 earnings call, Garmin CEO Clifton Pemble hinted, unsurprisingly, more future features will only be accessible to Connect+ subscribers. 'We still have a strong commitment to develop Garmin Connect and our devices with broad features that are available to everyone. But certain ones we will likely reserve for our premium offerings,' Pemble said, while reaffirming the official line 'we're not taking any features away.' A recording of the call has been posted on YouTube. He also claimed Garmin Connect+ had received a 'positive' reception, which isn't the impression you might come away with following at look at online communities like Reddit. Users have accused Garmin of greed, others have intimated they may stop using the brand's watches in future as a result. Garmin Connect+ is not going anywhere, though, based on the company's wording. 'It's a long-term thing for us, a very important part of our fitness segment going forwards,' Pemble said during the earnings call. At present Garmin Connect+ is not a hugely substantive service. It provides AI-generated summaries of your progress, alongside a few additional features such as live tracking of your activities, so other people can follow along remotely. The big question is what could be planned for future integration into Connect+. Garmin has already debuted ECG readings as a standard feature in its watches, but it could potentially expand its coaching options into a paid service. One problem for Garmin is its free Garmin Coach and Suggested Workouts platforms are already excellent. You can effectively get marathon coaching without paying anything extra. There is scope for building it up into a more direct competitor to Runna, one of the hottest fitness platforms of the moment, though. While both can help get you fitter, a not-insignificant portion of the Runna user base likely already owns a Garmin watch. This expansion of training could involve more varied training, tied to a more appealing training interface and likely more prominent use of AI. Garmin Connect+ costs $6.99 a month, significantly less than the $19.99 a month Runna charges. Strava recently acquired Runna for an undisclosed sum, but claims there are no imminent plans to fold the platform into Strava's own.
Tom's Guide
08-05-2025
- Business
- Tom's Guide
Bad news for Garmin users — future features could go behind the Connect+ paywall, according to CEO
When Garmin Connect+ launched earlier this year Garmin stressed that all the existing features available in its app would remain free to users. Given that the features you do get with Garmin Connect+ have thus far underwhelmed, it wasn't a great hardship to skip the subscription entirely. However, the fear Garmin users had was that future features would end up locked behind the Garmin Connect+ paywall, and that fear may have just been confirmed by Garmin's CEO. Speaking during Garmin's Q1 2025 earnings call CEO Cliff Pemble spoke about Connect+ and the features it might get in the future, saying, 'certain ones, we will likely reserve for premium offerings.". While Garmin Connect+ certainly does need some new features to make it worth the outlay, if it becomes a requirement to get the most from a watch then that's bad news for Garmin users who have already spent a lot of money on a watch. Pemble's also spoke about how Garmin Connect+ had been received by Garmin users, saying that the response 'had been positive', which is a surprise to me. Notwithstanding the fact that introducing a paid subscription rarely, if ever, goes down well, Garmin users seemed particularly outraged by the arrival of Connect+. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. This is partly down to the fact the best Garmin watches like the Garmin Fenix 8 cost more than $1,000, meaning the idea of paying an extra $6.99 a month to unlock features is galling. Even if you opt for a cheaper model like the Garmin Forerunner 165, part of the appeal of using a Garmin in the past has been that you don't have to pay more once you've bought the watch. Furthermore, Garmin Connect+ hasn't drawn very positive reviews from those who have used it. The AI-based Active Intelligence feature in particular is yet to provide any useful insights, in my experience. Once Garmin Connect+ was introduced it was inevitable that future features would end up behind its paywall, and if the service is to be a success it does need some more useful features than it currently has. Subscription services are only likely to become more common with the best sports watches, unfortunately. However so far Suunto and Coros haven't introduced one to use with their devices. The core experience of tracking and analyzing your training will remain free across the board I would expect, and it's still an excellent experience with Garmin. However, if we read the tea leaves, it's likely that when interesting new Garmin features launch in the future, some are likely to cost you.
Forbes
15-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
The Age Of Paying A Monthly Fitness Tracker Subscription Is Here
Polar Fitness Program When Fitbit brought step counting into an era of mainstream popularity in 2009-2011, it sold us on the simple fun of fitness trackers, eventually branching out into a social pastime. It's starting to look as though a new era has arrived, that of having to pay a monthly fee for fitness tracker use, or at least to get the most out of it. Garmin's Connect+ caused uproar among its fanbase when it was announced in March 2025. While Garmin was far from the first wearable maker to offer a subscription, its approach to date had often seemed the antithesis of such a move. A Garmin watch always got you more than you needed, while demanding no additional outlay beyond the cost of the wearable itself for most buyers. Now another big name in hardcore fitness wearables has done the same, Polar. Much like Garmin, Polar insists that the features watch owners currently have will remain free. But the Fitness Program subscription, which costs around $11 a month, will unlock features otherwise not available to watch users. Fitness Program has a strong focus on creating a training plan that 'adapts to your needs' and awards you with badges and 'stars' to help keep you motivated. One of the top catalysts for these newly paid-for plans is AI, as it lets a company provide at least superficially personalized feedback to users without going to the expense of hiring actual experts and coaches. And they would likely not be able to provide the instant feedback of an LLM (large language model) based AI system anyway. It's not clear whether, or how much, Polar's Fitness Program relies on AI. But there's clear scope for it to have a hand in the 'weekly personalized feedback' that makes one of the four pillars of the service. While it might be tempting to chart this back to longer-standing services like Apple Fitness+, which launched in December 2020, that is really quite a different proposition. Fitness+ is based around bespoke content, bringing the gym class experience into your home. It was apparently on the cards before Covid-19 too, but was well-timed given how many people were stuck at home in that period. Polar's new service is more like the Runna app, which provides tailored training plans based on your fitness level and goals. It claimed to have 'hundreds of thousands' of users in November 2023. Fitbit Premium, Garmin Connect+, Apple Fitness+ and Polar Fitness Program are not copies of each other. But they all address the same problem, that of a company needing to continue growth when doing so purely or largely through hardware sales has become increasingly difficult. This is one to keep an eye on in the coming months and years, to assess how much the average fitness tracker owner is pushed into paying by degrading the 'free' experience.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Polar's new subscription feature lands in the shadow of Garmin's Connect+ rollout
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Polar has officially launched its new Fitness Programme, a subscription-based training service built around adaptive, heart rate-driven workouts, and the timing couldn't be more on-the-nose. As you probably know, wearable brand Garmin rolled out its Connect+ subscription service a mere two weeks ago, sparking conversation about the future of fitness apps and monetisation. Even though I'm sure Polar didn't just whisk up Fitness Programme in the last two weeks, the fact that the company went ahead with the launch makes me think it's betting on athletes receiving the new feature in a more positive light. So, what's on offer? The Fitness Programme is an entirely new layer of personalised support, offering science-backed training plans that adapt to your recovery, sleep, and goals, according to Polar. It integrates tightly with the existing wearable ecosystem, using real-time data from compatible running watches (and multisport watches) to craft workouts that scale with you over time. Think 20 levels of progression, motivational rewards, and the ability to plug in your favourite activities, from running to rowing. Of course, you can still plan workouts, use training plans, and sync with platforms like TrainingPeaks without spending a penny. "We've listened closely to our community," says Joonas Rajaniemi, Business Director of Services at Polar, "and built Fitness Programme as a response to what they've told us they need." The Fitness Programme creates a four-week training schedule tailored to your current physical condition, recovery status, and sleep insights. Unlike traditional static programmes, Polar claims its version dynamically adjusts based on your training load. It nudges you toward lighter workouts when your body needs a break and helps you avoid injury or burnout. Each week includes a mix of cardio, strength, and mobility workouts, but the format is flexible. You can choose your preferred training days, add your favourite sports, and make the programme work around your routine. Weekly and monthly rewards help keep motivation levels up across the 20-tier journey. Fitness Programme is now available to Android users in the UK, EU, and Norway, with iOS support arriving later in Q2. It costs £8.49/month (approx. $11.12/ AU$17.83); all compatible Polar users can access a 14-day free trial. Head over to Polar to find out more.
Forbes
27-03-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Garmin Owners Now Have To Pay To Unlock Features Thanks To Connect+
Garmin Fenix 8 Garmin has introduced a paid tier to its Connect platform, one that offers 'Active Intelligence' insights provided by AI, and more. It's called Garmin Connect+, and will cost $6.99 a month or $69.99 for a year. Garmin claims all features Connect users can currently access for free will remain free, but this marks a major — if predictable — change in the company's strategy going forwards. Here are some of the key additions you get with Connect+. Garmin Connect+ screenshots Enhanced Livetrack: Lets you notify friends and family of updates to live-traced exercise over text message. And those with more of a social media following can setup a page fans and friends can follow as the activity takes place. Exclusive badges and challenges: Some challenges and achievement badges will be exclusive to the paid version of Connect. Videos and guidance: While Garmin Coach has provided a lot of great stuff for free, 'exclusive coaching guidance' including videos will be available through Connect+. Active Intelligence: Your Connect dashboard will now be peppered with AI-generated commentary on your activities, making the experience appear more personalized and conversational. This feature is currently listed as in 'beta,' presumably as the LLM tech on which it is based could potentially spout some strange stuff. Live activity: In a 180-degree flip of the way watch and phone activity integrations often happen, this feature will let you see a live update of tracked activities are they are happening on your phone, after you start them on your watch. It's likely to be particularly handy for gym use. Performance Dashboard: This appears to be a view that provides a more versatile view of the stat charts and tables already accessible through Connect, likely ideal for use on a larger-screen device like a tablet. 'We are excited to provide even more personalised data and enriched features with the addition of Garmin Connect+. You can now learn even more about yourself, take on new challenges, train confidently and stay even more connected,' says Susan Lyman, Garmin Vice President of Consumer Sales and Marketing. Is Garmin Connect+ worth it? It's too early to tell, but a 30-day free trial is on offer if you want to try it out. A longer-term worry for already long-term Garmin fans is how the free experience may be sidelined in future. For example, it's not clear what proportion of future challenges and badges will only be available to Connect+ subscribers. Or if future revisions of Garmin's watch platform may eventually limit the coaching, training and route-making features included for free at present in higher-end watches like the Fenix 8 — potentially replaced by improved AI-enhanced versions in future. If Garmin focuses on bringing value through bespoke content and training guides, as seen in Apple's Fitness+, though, Connect+ could easily justify the subscription's cost. But for now? It's one to watch develop.
