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Garmin's –$40B Pivot

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Re: Garmin's –$40B Pivot

#281

Post by canucker2016 »

rob74 wrote: post #23

Of course, the unmentioned elephant in the room here is that Apple watches don't work with Android phones (it's possible to use the "cellular" version with limited features without a phone, but you still need an iPhone to configure it), which means that ~70% of the market are up for grabs...

But the ~70% isn't in every region, it's an average over all regions.

Certain developed countries, Apple iPhone market share is 55%-65% (Norway, USA, Canada, Japan), UK is at 50% and starts dropping down in other Western European countries. South Korea is dominated by Samsung.

Even then, Apple's ~55% of the USA market isn't across all age groups - iPhone is a monopoly for teens, 87%, - see https://www.macrumors.com/2023/10/10/iphone-teen-survey-2023....

Re: Garmin's –$40B Pivot

#282

Post by vdqtp3 »

chinathrow wrote: post #259
cjrp wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That was true with something like the G1000, but their newer avionics are very much touchscreen in favour of physical buttons. See the G3X or G3000 for example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21eOTAXdXLM&t=18s

Correct. Garmins GPS/NAVCOM flagship, the GTN series is 95% touch.

Yes, but you can perform the essential functions with buttons on the GTN650 or 750 (or xi). Frequency changes, direct to, etc are all still accessible on physical buttons, which makes a big difference in turbulence.

Re: Garmin's –$40B Pivot

#283

Post by vdjskshi »

jboggan wrote: post #76

Garmin recently entered the ballistic chronograph market with their Xero - it's the closest thing to actual magic I've experienced with a piece of technology. Chronographs are notoriously finicky, since you are trying to accurately measure the speed of a bullet in an uncontrolled environment. Some optical chronos make you shoot through a very narrow window [0] which restricts you to a tiny shooting position and don't…

This is where Garmin shines - the niches.

They're also the Cadillac of dog tracking and training collars.

https://www.garmin.com/en-US/c/outdoor-recreation/sporting-d...

Re: Garmin's –$40B Pivot

#284

Post by kalleboo »

mcintyre1994 wrote: post #24
cassianoleal wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Ultra is the most bizarre in the lineup. It's marketed at extreme adventurers, mountaineers, extreme hikers, etc. For that demographic, battery life of less than at least a week is a non-starter, not to mention 100% button navigation as opposed to touchscreen + dial. Those are really hard to operate whilst wearing thick gloves.

I know the Ultra has an extra button, but I wonder if you can start a run on it in the rain (ie without using touch). That was what finally pushed me away from Apple Watch, and the marketing of the Ultra is quite funny if it doesn't solve it.

> I wonder if you can start a run on it in the rain (ie without using touch)

You can use Siri to start a workout

Re: Garmin's –$40B Pivot

#285

Post by nradov »

MarkusWandel wrote: post #234
MarkusWandel wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a non-Appleista, what strikes me most is their "silo" mentality. Most of the iPhone /iWatch using fitness types I know log their stuff inside the Apple cloud, and do not crosspost to Garmin Connect or Strava so the non-Appleistas don't see their stuff. Whereas the Garmin/Strava world is relatively open. I can for example take the original Forerunner (pictured in the article) and upload stuff from it to the Garmin…

An example of how Strava is geek-compatible (so far! it may get ensh*ttified in the future). I found some old GPS logs from 22 years ago, when I first got a handheld GPS and geeked out with it, logging a whole bunch of rides and hikes. It took a bit of work to get those converted to a modern format (load into ancient tool, which is still maintained, and write out as GPX files... one at a time). But then these GPX fil…

Strava has a built in feature to trim an activity if you accidentally keep recording on the drive home. Happens all the time. You can just select the time when you want to cut it off.

Re: Garmin's –$40B Pivot

#286

Post by mikestew »

hiq wrote: post #272
mtalantikite wrote: post #218

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Genuinely curious, what do you need to change mid-run on your watch? I set an apple music playlist to start, open a run on WorkOutDoors, and go. I really am only interested in heart rate, distance traveled and pace. And if I need to stop for anything walking back to my apartment after a session I have apple pay. Granted, I'm not a serious runner, I only do it as a supplement for my muay thai training (i.e. I'm only r…

Besides the various metrics other have mentioned (and which you could in theory put all in one screen, unless you're interested in a lot of them), you might want to interact with the workout and e.g. set it to the next interval. If you planned a 15min warmup at low pace but already feel good after 10min, you might want to already go to the main part of your workout. On Garmin that's one button away, I'd be annoyed if…

Apple Watch Ultra has that functionality by default using the Action button. Most workout functionality is usable with just the buttons.

Re: Garmin's –$40B Pivot

#287

Post by nradov »

jagermo wrote: post #89
mcintyre1994 wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know the Ultra has an extra button, but I wonder if you can start a run on it in the rain (ie without using touch). That was what finally pushed me away from Apple Watch, and the marketing of the Ultra is quite funny if it doesn't solve it.

plus, no support for ANT+ is a dealbreaker.

ANT+ appears to be dying and Garmin has started moving away from it. Although I'm sure they'll still support it for several more product generations.

https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2025/01/the-begining-of-the-end-...

Re: Garmin's –$40B Pivot

#288

Post by nradov »

dutchbookmaker wrote: post #280
kshahkshah wrote: post #40

I'm in the market for a watch. Turned 41, my weight has slowly crept up despite working out 4-5 times a week - not too bad, like not obese. My cholesterol is bad partially due to genetics but mostly due to diet. I also have a mild sleep apnea, especially when my weight is high. I'm focusing on dropping weight this year and would love to start tracking sleep, recovery, apnea, and any heart issues before/as they happen…

I was in the same boat with genetics and cholesterol. It is all the diet. At some point I realized I had to stop eating cheese completely. No pizza, no nachos, no tacos with cheese. I can stay in good shape with a once a week cheat night but I don't have the genetics to deal with the cholesterol like that. It sucked at first but the things I do enjoy now, I enjoy them just as much.

Consuming cholesterol, like in cheese, has little effect on serum cholesterol levels. Almost all of the cholesterol in your body is endogenously produced.

Re: Garmin's –$40B Pivot

#289

Post by transpute »

rcMgD2BwE72F wrote: post #194
transpute wrote: post #49

Garmin: - sells an accurate blood pressure cuff with WiFi data sync (sans phone) - is an active R&D contributor to OpenEmbedded Linux - includes optional health data sync to vertically integrated cloud - provides open FIT [1] protocol for local data sync [1] https://developer.garmin.com/fit/protocol

Yet I can't use my new Forerunner 55 watch without connecting it to Garmin servers. They make sure it takes about an hour to have a reliable GPS position unless your make it regularly connect to an active Garmin account, either via Garmin Express (dekstop) or Garmin Connect. I switch to GadgetBridge but without updating the AGPS files, no reliable GPS. How open of them.

> sure it takes about an hour to have a reliable GPS position

Any feedback from Garmin on this issue? It sounds like a bug, unless they have documented a non-technical policy dependency between GPS and cloud login.

Re: Garmin's –$40B Pivot

#290

Post by KiwiJohnno »

jmull wrote: post #77
NoboruWataya wrote: post #14

Interesting article. My partner bought an Apple watch a couple of years ago and I was shocked at what a poor value proposition it was. Very expensive and wouldn't even hold a charge for a day. I guess you get used to it but having to charge my watch every day would drive me mad. Obviously there are things it will do better than a Garmin (and things it can do that a Garmin simply can't) but overall it didn't make sens…

From my perspective -- someone who wants the things a smart watch does -- I can't figure out what a Garmin is for. They don't really do the job of a regular smart watch and aren't designed for wearing all the time, so it becomes a secondary device you need to manage and charge separately, not to mention pay for. Meanwhile, an Apple Watch can do all of it. IME, the battery life of Garmin's isn't a game changer... if y…

Sorry, hard disagree with everything you've said here.

I have a Fenix 6, I've worn it every day for the last 4.5 years. Its a brilliant smartwatch. I have multiple apps from Garmin's IQ store on it. Battery lasts between one and two weeks, thats including recording multiple activities each week, while using it to play music to my bluetooth headphones.

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