Garmin users grumble
A poll of over 1,000 Garmin users shows mixed feelings about the Connect+ premium tier one year after launch, with many threatening to switch brands unless improvements arrive — a sign of real churn risk in wearables. The result underscores how quickly user expectations can shift in the fitness tech market. (techradar.com)
Garmin introduced Connect+ on March 27, 2025, pricing the tier at $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year with a 30-day free trial. (garmin.com) The paid plan originally bundled AI-powered “Active Intelligence,” a Performance Dashboard and expanded LiveTrack, and Garmin added nutrition-tracking insights to Connect+ later in 2025. (dcrainmaker.com) (garmin.com) The launch prompted visible community pushback — including a Reddit boycott post that reached roughly 10,000 upvotes — and sustained critical coverage across consumer-tech outlets. (tomsguide.com) (vice.com) Garmin told investors during its earnings calls that subscriptions such as Connect+ and inReach are growing and are a strategic focus for recurring revenue. (fool.com) (the5krunner.com) The company reported record full-year 2025 results — $7.25 billion in revenue and shipments topping more than 20 million units — even as Connect+ rolled out. (garmin.com) Executives have signaled additional subscriber-only features may arrive, and analysts and outlets have flagged that paywalling future functionality raises measurable churn risk among an outspoken user base. (techradar.com) (notebookcheck.net)
