Garmin adds smartwatch functionality to Windows Phone 10

Garmin adds smartwatch functionality to Windows Phone 10

I realise that I’m in the minority here, but this news is possibly one of the most exciting tech announcements of 2015 for me.  As a long time Windows Phone fan, but one who deserted the OS for pastures new that would work with smartwatches, Garmin have offered me a potential route back!  For those who unfamiliar with it, Garmin make a variety of fitness trackers and smartwatches.  They are often the runner’s watch of choice, offering fantastic data fields and other options; they are also great for swimming, cycling, mountain climbing etc.  I have owned and used a Fenix 3 for about 8 months now and it was my choice for gadget of the year for the recent Coolsmartphone awards.  The Fenix 3, admittedly not cheap, has GPS built in, a colour e-ink screen, week-long battery life, huge variety of sport functions, but is also a fully fledged smartwatch – you can control music, download watchfaces and get notifications on your wrist.  Because it is primarily seen as a sports watch, it has been largely ignored by those interested in smartwatches.  Garmin even has its own dedicated app store available via its own app – Garmin Connect.  Long available on Android and iOS, a Windows 10 version has just been released, bringing full functionality to both PC and Windows Phone 10 alike.  For those with Garmin watches that don’t have smart functions, this means you’ll be able to access all your Garmin data directly; for those with a Vivoactive or Fenix watch, it means you’ll be able to start getting all your notifications on your wrist.  Not having a Windows Phone I haven’t been able to test it, but the Garmin forums are awash with people who have it working perfectly.  If any of our readers have a Garmin watch and a Windows Phone 10, do let us know what you make of it.

More details on Garmin Connect Mobile here, it can be downloaded here.

Image source here.