Introduction to Garmin and Their Smartwatches

Founded in 1989 by Gary Burrell and Min Kao, Garmin has grown from a small start-up into a multi-billion dollar corporation with over 13,000 employees across the globe. Headquartered in Schaffhausen, Switzerland after originally starting in Lenexa, Kansas, Garmin's initial goal focused on making GPS technology accessible for the masses. This innovative spirit still drives the company today as evident through continued expansion into wearables and beyond. Now serving customers across the automotive, fitness, outdoor recreation, marine, aviation and military industries, Garmin's quality engineering and attention to utility and purpose serves them well across categories.

When it comes to wearable technology specifically, Garmin established itself as an early frontrunner in the niche market thanks to its first Forerunner running watch back in 2003. Nearly 20 years later, Garmin currently commands 10.1% global market share of the entire wearables category as #4 behind Apple, Xiaomi and Huawei. This amounts to over 16 million units yearly and over $1.5 billion in sales during 2021 alone. Such success results undoubtedly from the company’s focus on practical functionality for active lifestyles alongside continual hardware and software improvements across generations.

Garmin’s Smartwatch Lineup

While fitness trackers represent Garmin’s most affordable wearable options, their wide range of versatile smartwatches seamlessly blend sophisticated health metrics, navigation, smartphone connectivity and various sports tracking into capable wrist-based packages. With sizes, designs and feature sets to accommodate everything from casual step counting to intense adventure racing across land and sea, Garmin's broad smartwatch lineup masterfully matches differing lifestyles and use cases thanks to options spanning:

• Easy-to-use Vívosmart hybrid tracker
• Sleek vívoactive general fitness watch
• Premium Forerunner running/triathlon watch
• Rugged Fēnix outdoor adventure watch
• Golf-focused Approach watch
• Luxury MARQ collection
• Tactical Instinct tactical watch
• Kid-friendly vivofit IR

Ranging dramatically in price, it's no wonder Garmin moves millions of smartwatch units annually. Let's explore what sets their offerings apart from competitors.

Advanced physiological metrics derived from this rich Activity Tracking and Fitness Features Activity tracking and fitness monitoring represent the bread and butter of any Garmin smartwatch. Through the comprehensive Garmin Connect platform, users can view detailed breakdowns of their health and fitness data synced from a paired watch in addition to accessing extra tools for analysis.

Step Tracking

Even Garmin's most affordable smartwatch options incorporate step counting through accelerometers that detect motion patterns. This allows users to monitor daily step totals, progress towards self-set goals, and compare moving averages. Garmin Connect supplies calendar and leaderboard views for further motivation.

Sleep Tracking and Advanced Sleep Monitoring

Select Garmin devices with wrist-based pulse oximeter sensors can also identify sleep duration and cycles including light, deep and REM sleep. Higher-end models like the Garmin Fenix 7 and Epix even assign a "sleep score" each night to indicate overall rest quality. Those with abnormal sleep events can further diagnose sleeping problems through additional sleep tracking metrics and trends.

24/7 Heart Rate Monitoring and Abnormal Heart Rate Alerts

The wrist-based Elevate optical heart rate sensor found across the Garmin lineup provides all-day stress tracking and continuous heart rate monitoring during workouts alongside abnormal heart rate alerts when enabled. Users can analyse heart rate variability, intensity minutes, calories burned and resting heart rate patterns over time through the mobile app.

Female Health Tracking

Logging menstrual cycles, symptoms, fertility windows and more, Garmin's female health tracking harness detailed insights into monthly reproductive health. Users can receive cycle predictions, related pattern notifications, and educational content through the Garmin Connect app.

Respiration, Hydration, Stress and Blood Oxygen Tracking

Higher-tier Garmin smartwatches add advanced wellness monitoring capabilities including all-day stress tracking measured via heart rate variability, overnight blood oxygen saturation levels, respiration tracking while sleeping or working out, hydration logging via user input and Pulse Ox Acclimation altitude adjustments. Users can identify positive or negative respiration, stress, hydration and oxygenation trends then leverage guided breathing exercises, hydration tracking, stress management tools and Adjust altitude performance data aids practical understanding of environmental physiological impacts depending on use cases while unlocking detailed performance analytics.

For serious athletes and adventurers prioritising maximised potential, optimised recovery and avoidance of overtraining, these metrics prove invaluable - as does the entire ecosystem of Garmin's interconnected software and accessories.

Built-In Sports Apps with Dedicated Metrics

Preloaded activity profiles on Garmin smartwatches allow athletes and fitness enthusiasts to easily track performance metrics during an ever-expanding range of indoor and outdoor workouts. This data transfers straight to Garmin Connect for post-analysis including pace, distance, altitude, rep counting, intensity minutes, training load, recovery time recommendations and more. Profiled sports range from walking to strength training, pool swimming to snowboarding, yoga to rowing, plus more.

Garmin Connect Mobile App

As the central hub bridging wearers with their devices, the Garmin Connect app for iOS and Android supplies tools for managing settings, customising watch faces, creating workouts, analysing health metrics, staying connected with notifications, and reviewing progress snapshots through handy widgets. Users can wirelessly sync their smartphone to transfer notifications to a paired watch while also enabling phone-free music playback capabilities leveraging onboard storage on certain Garmin smartwatch models.

The Garmin Connect platform operates as the foundation enabling convenient watch-to-app connectivity for accessing contextual performance statistics, reviewing historical data trends, and configuring device settings. Additional perks like contactless payments through Garmin Pay also integrate directly into the Connect ecosystem.

Connect IQ Store

While Garmin’s smartwatch operating system remains closed for security and optimisation reasons, the Connect IQ platform invites customisation of compatible watches through downloadable apps, watch faces, data fields and widgets. Developers can leverage Garmin’s SDK tools to build niche solutions filling functionality gaps or enhancing specialty use cases spanning everything from adventure racing apps to wheelchair tracking data fields.

Whether pursuing ultra-endurance exploits or simplifying daily convenience via voice assistance, Connect IQ’s open development ecosystem further expands capabilities catering to every user’s needs and wants through advanced additions. Enhancements assist daily convenience as much as hardcore training.

Connect IQ App Functionality

The Connect IQ platform opens up customisation of compatible Garmin smartwatches to third party developers, enabling niche apps and watch faces that expand functionality in helpful ways. Through the Connect IQ app store accessible on the Garmin Connect mobile app, owners can browse and download a multitude of apps tailored towards various activities and use cases.

For adventurers traversing unfamiliar backcountry terrain, trail navigation apps provide topo maps and critical route finding details right on the watch face without phones. Fitness buffs benefit from dedicated workout apps tracking highly specific metrics during training sessions that may not align with Garmin’s preloaded activity profiles. Even calculators, travel translators, and smartphone assistants bring added convenience to everyday situations right from the wrist.

While the number of available apps cannot compete with a platform as open as Android Wear, Connect IQ fosters innovation benefitting Garmin’s community with helpful tools. Apps undergo approval and security checks to ensure quality and protection of user data according to privacy policies.

Customising Watch Faces

Beyond just apps, the Connect IQ store allows applying custom watch faces from leading designers to make your Garmin smartwatch screen better match personal tastes or needs. Switch effortlessly between activity-focused displays showing running dynamics or last training session alongside stylish faces for evenings out.

Developers leverage the SDK to creatively theme sharp digital or analogue watch faces pulling data fields from sensors to convey timely information at a glance. Tweaking everything from background colours to font styles and metric prioritisation gives wearers control over their ideal watch face look and functionality. Frequent travellers may prioritise dual time zones while golfers benefit most from distances to pins and hazards for their next swing. The options for customisation through Connect IQ watch faces are virtually endless.

Garmin Fenix Series for Outdoor Adventurers

Sitting proudly atop Garmin’s wearables lineup, the premium yet rugged Fenix series caters to outdoors adventurers and multisport athletes requiring advanced training features alongside GPS tracking and mapping capabilities. The current flagship Fenix 7 models released in January 2022 set the gold standard for both demanding adventures and dedicated training tools.

Hikers, trail runners, mountain bikers and cross country skiers donning the surprisingly lightweight Fenix can navigate unfamiliar terrain leveraging TopoActive mapping and navigation features covering popular trails worldwide alongside ABC sensors (altimeter, barometer and compass) that provide critical environmental context regardless of phone connectivity.

Backcountry explorers also appreciate the Fenix series’ impressive solar charging capabilities that extend trips deep into the wilderness thanks to solar harvesting that augments battery life up to several weeks by capturing the sun’s energy through the colour display lens.

Vivoactive Series for Health and Wellness

Contrasting the top shelf Fenix models, Garmin’s accessible Vivoactive series smartwatches balance comprehensive activity tracking and health monitoring against affordability. As an uncomplicated yet still powerful jack-of-all-trades covering everything from sleep quality to animated strength training workouts, the slim Vivoactive 4 appeals to casual fitness buffs and office workers seeking a motivational coach and notification companion.

While the standard Vivoactive 4 promises over 6 hours GPS battery life from its slim chassis alongside pulse ox blood oxygen monitoring and respiration tracking, the similarly sized Vivoactive 4S scales down for smaller wrists without sacrificing wellness features that shame basic fitness bands. For less investment than an Apple Watch, the scaled back Vivoactive options slot excellent functionality with wallet-friendly value.

Serious runners and triathletes need look no further than July 2022’s flagship Forerunner 955 for achieving peak race day performance through actionable analytics gleaned from integrated training tools.

Expanding on the predecessor Forerunner 945 with tweaked ergonomics and a touchscreen option, this featherlight GPS watch combines multi-band GNSS for unrivalled tracking accuracy under tree cover with wrist-based heart rate plus new running power and vertical oscillation metrics. Support for touchless payments and onboard music storage assist race day convenience while a refined UI enhances the excellent training, recovery and acclimation features carried over.

Ultra runners will appreciate the promised 15 hours GPS battery life while new triathlon and swim-run activity profiles join open water metrics plus an onboard accelerometer tracking technique and turns per length. With creative compatible accessories like the new Running Dynamics Pod and HRM-Pro Plus chest straps expanding capabilities further, the Forerunner 955 is perfect for podium contenders.

Garmin Forerunner 165 Series

Catering to novice and recreational runners focused on 5K's to half marathons, Garmin's intuitive Forerunner 165 and 165 Music smartwatches aim for accessibility rather than advanced metrics. With vibrant AMOLED colour touchscreens and 11 days of battery life in smartwatch mode or 30 hours leveraging GPS, these capable yet affordable watches coach developing runners through adaptive training guidance and race preparation.

The bread and butter features runners care about see thoughtful implementation in the 165 series - accurate pace, distance and heart rate cover the basics with optional audio prompts for status updates mid-run. Garmin Coach integration goes further by tailoring timed training plans adjusting to individual fitness levels and race goals. Whether targeting a sub-2 hour half marathon or simply maintaining a consistent easy jogging routine, Coach offers personalised workouts and progress monitoring.

And the Forerunner 165 series help runners make sense of each session's impact through newly added Training Effect labels categorising workouts as recovery, maintaining, productive or peaking to simplify gauging load management effects alongside Training Effect metrics evaluating aerobic and anaerobic gains. Monitoring suggested recovery times between intense efforts assists avoiding overtraining while onboard music storage on the 165 Music allows pushing through walls without a phone.

Beyond bespoke running guidance, the Forerunner 165 series scores added lifestyle smartwatch functionality through Garmin Pay contactless payments, smart notifications from a paired phone, and daily Morning Reports supplying sleep statistics, overnight respiration and heart rate variability stress measurements, plus tips for better recovery habits personalised to the wearer. These capable coaches support runners training smarter as they chase new personal bests at every distance.

After reviewing Garmin's broad range of sophisticated smartwatches spanning various models tailored across price points for diverse lifestyles and use cases, the immense value these capable devices unlock for athletes, adventurers, and even casual users through extensive tracking features becomes undeniably apparent. Ultimately, Garmin's unparalleled blend of accuracy, connectivity, actionable insights, ecosystem expansion and rugged reliability makes their smartwatches worthwhile investments for both hardcore competitors and weekend warriors.

Starting with consistently precise metric tracking empowering tangible performance improvements and tactical training adjustments, Garmin smartwatches prove profoundly useful through granular monitoring of everything from running cadence to cycling wattage output. Preloaded activity profiles cater to nearly every sport while move IQ auto-recognition conveniently kicks in as users switch between yoga, strength training and beyond without inputting anything.

Expandability through the Garmin Connect IQ store and compatibility with accessories like heart rate straps, cycling power meters, foot pods and marine echomap plotters further enriches the ecosystem to capture niche data points as needs and skills progress. Adventurers traverse unfamiliar terrain without phones facilitating GPS navigation and mapping guidance they can trust through landmark syncing and TracBack routing.

And Garmin Connect supplies the glue binding user data together for reviewing holistic health snapshots including respiration rates, stress measurements and training load calculated across activities for maximising recovery. Whether preparing to set a new 10K personal record or confidently exploring off-grid wilderness, Garmin smartwatches unlock immense capability and tangible value adding joy and empowerment into users' active lifestyles thanks to meticulously designed software powering reliably durable hardware.