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Garmin Connect Plus appears to be quite successful
Garmin offers a paid premium service for its wearables. Many users have strongly criticized this kind of paywall, but it probably won’t go away anytime soon.
We have covered Garmin’s Connect Plus more than once. It is a paid premium subscription that gives Garmin smartwatch users additional features, as Garmin tends to put new AI features behind this paywall. The launch of Garmin Connect Plus has drawn substantial criticism from quite a few users. In our view, Garmin broke a never-explicit but likely implicit understanding between Garmin and its customers with the introduction of Garmin Connect Plus. Garmin smartwatches are relatively expensive, but Garmin Connect includes many free features and even a web interface that allows users to view workouts and analyze them.
Among other things, Garmin Connect Plus offers the option to track diets via a food log and the camera, personalized recommendations are also available. It also includes AI-based recommendations and the so-called Performance Dashboard, which lets users create custom charts. On an investor call, Garmin’s president and CEO was recently asked about subscription services like these. Specifically, Eric Woodring asked about Garmin’s priority on expanding recurring revenue, meaning subscription models. Pemble emphasized that Garmin wants to grow that revenue but also the business model behind it. Of course, it is worth noting that a CEO is aware that such statements will be made public. According to Pemble, Garmin’s subscription business is currently growing at least as fast as the overall business, or even faster. Even so, subscriptions still account for less than 10% of Garmin’s overall revenue. Garmin Connect Plus likely contributes to that growth, but Garmin also offers other subscriptions, such as Outdoor Maps Plus and inReach communication services.
I have been active as a journalist for over 10 years, most of it in the field of technology. I worked for Tom’s Hardware and ComputerBase, among others, and have been working for Notebookcheck since 2017. My current focus is particularly on mini PCs and single-board computers such as the Raspberry Pi – so in other words, compact systems with a lot of potential. In addition, I have a soft spot for all kinds of wearables, especially smartwatches. My main profession is as a laboratory engineer, which is why neither scientific contexts nor the interpretation of complex measurements are foreign to me.
Translator: Enrico Frahn – Managing Editor Accessory Reviews, Tech Writer – 6393 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2021
My fascination for technology goes back a long way to the Pentium II era. Modding, overclocking and treasuring computer hardware has since become an integral part of my life. As a student, I further developed a keen interest in mobile technologies that can make the stressful college life so much easier. After I fell in love with the creation of digital content while working in a marketing position, I now scour the web to bring you the most exciting topics in the world of tech. Outside the office, I’m particularly passionate about motorsports and mountain biking.