Latest news with #ConnectPlus
Forbes
22-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Garmin Connect+ Gets New Trails Feature, Its Best Idea Yet?
Garmin update visual Garmin Garmin has announced the first major expansion of Connect+, with what is probably one of its most useful features yet, Garmin Trails. Garmin's Connect already lets you create routes to send to compatible watches for offline navigation. Garmin Trails offers suggestions for routes, based on where you point the map view. And you need a paid subscription to use it fully. This is not dissimilar to what's on offer in other popular platforms, Komoot and AllTrails perhaps most notably. While Garmin's existing free-to-use route planning can already choose the hiking/running/cycling line based on the most popular roads and trails, Garmin Trails provides extra options. For example, you can choose routes based on there being waterfalls or forests. And you have greater control over the difficulty of the route, how long it's likely to take and the total ascent or descent. Or if it's dog friendly. It's a terrific idea for a new feature in theory, and once again it is of course a shame it's locked behind a paywall. However, DC Rainmaker has had an early preview of the platform, and his experience suggests Garmin Trails still needs plenty of work. He found many spots were bereft of routes, and that some of the ones he found make no logistical sense. Even in areas where there are some great bike routes. This highlights the strength of a long-extant platform like Komoot. It has gained a sense of richness over time, through user reviews, photos and comments on routes, which are also user-made. While Garmin Connect has an absolutely massive audience, it doesn't have this built-up content to fuel Garmin Trails. And judging by thematic bent of Connect+, it seems reasonable to assume the current routes are AI-derived using mapping and popularity information the platform already has access to. Garmin says the routes will be accompanied by the 'latest community reviews with photos and descriptions.' But you understandably are not going to get many of those on day one. One piece of good news is Garmin Trails isn't solely behind a Connect+ Paywall. It's also part of Outdoor Maps+, an older membership that costs $49.99 a year (to Connect+'s $69.99). Garmin Trails may be excellent one day, but you may need patience to get there. Garmin is also, as it has done in the past, trialling something else with the Venu series. Venu 3 owners will have the option of paying for access to features that would usually be restricted to the golf-focused Garmin Approach series, through a Garmin Golf membership. They include full CourseView course maps, and the PlaysLike stat, among other features. This moderates distance stats based on how the terrain changes the ball's behaviour. Garmin Golf costs $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year. I'm not much of a golfer, but this Garmin Venu 3 seems like a pure positive move considering the Garmin Golf sub already existed. And since the launch of the Vivoactive 6, which is cheaper but has better features in some areas, the Garmin Venu 3 has been begging for a boost like this to stay relevant.
The Verge
09-05-2025
- Business
- The Verge
Some future Garmin features will be paywalled.
Some future Garmin features will be paywalled. Garmin's Connect Plus subscription raised fears of enshittification, and lo, the company confirmed in its Q1 earnings call that going forward 'certain [features] we will likely reserve for premium offerings.' This isn't surprising — this is, after all, how subscriptions tend to go. But it does sting given how vocal Garmin has been in the past about not having a paywall. That said, the conversation revolved around features, not data so hopefully raw data will remain free.
The Verge
09-05-2025
- Business
- The Verge
May 9, 2025 at 9:24 AM EDT
Some future Garmin features will be paywalled. Garmin's Connect Plus subscription raised fears of enshittification, and lo, the company confirmed in its Q1 earnings call that going forward 'certain [features] we will likely reserve for premium offerings.' This isn't surprising — this is, after all, how subscriptions tend to go. But it does sting given how vocal Garmin has been in the past about not having a paywall. That said, the conversation revolved around features, not data so hopefully raw data will remain free.
Android Authority
07-05-2025
- Business
- Android Authority
Garmin users should start bracing for more subscription-only features
Since the launch of Connect Plus in March, Garmin users have been worried about the future of their devices. These users aren't just upset about the mere introduction of a subscription service; there's a palpable concern about what this paywall could mean for new features going forward. A recent earnings call appears to show that there may be some substance behind these fears. Garmin recently conducted an earnings call for the first quarter of 2025. During this call, the company announced an 11% improvement year on year, netting earnings of $1.54 billion. On top of that, Garmin reached a record $330 million in operating income. Around the 16:30 minute mark, the call was opened up for questions. When asked about the launch of Connect Plus and why the decision was made, CEO Cliff Pemble stated: I think we've been saying for a while that we are evaluating opportunities to have a premium offering on Garmin Connect. I think the developments of AI and particularly around AI-based insights for our users was one of those things that we felt was important to recognize the value for the investment that it takes to do. Pemble went on to mention that the company 'felt like it was the right time' and added that they have not taken away any previously free features. Although the smartwatch maker may not have any plans to take away previously free features, Pemble seemed to confirm what users have been worried about over the last few weeks.
