Rumors of a screen-free Garmin fitness tracker, potentially called the “Cirqa,” have reached a fever pitch. Plus, the fact that Garmin has officially trademarked, ”Cirqa” in several markets only adds to the anticipation for what could very well be the biggest challenger to the Fitbit Air in 2026.
Screen-free fitness trackers are clearly having a moment. Google just debuted its $99 Fitbit Air band to positive reviews, including from yours truly, and Oura just dropped a thinner, comfier flagship in the Oura Ring 5.
Of course, you also have the Whoop 5.0, Polar Loop, and Amazfit Helio Strap. So, what does Garmin need to do with the rumored Cirqa to set it apart from the competition? I have three big ideas.
1. Onboard GPS
In 2026, if you want to onboard GPS in your fitness-tracking wearable, you need to either opt for one of the best smartwatches or one of the best fitness trackers, like the Fitbit Charge 6. As of writing, there aren’t any smart rings or screen-free trackers with onboard GPS.
The advantage, of course, of a built-in GPS antenna is the ability to track an outdoor workout, like a walk, run, hike, bike ride, etc., without the need to carry a paired smartphone. Even the Oura Ring 5 and Fitbit Air piggyback off your phone’s location data when logging an outdoor exercise.
2. Wide-ranging, reliable auto-workout detection
One of my biggest complaints about the Fitbit Air is the auto workout detection feature. It only supports a very small selection of workout types, and you need to be doing one of those supported exercises for a minimum of 15-20 minutes for the feature to kick in.
The best Garmin watches already support loads of workout types; however, like the Fitbit Air, auto-detect is limited to roughly five common exercises, like walks, runs, and swims. Expanding that list and ensuring detection works even after a short duration would give the rumored Garmin Cirqa a major advantage over the Fitbit Air.
Perhaps Garmin should ask Oura for advice on how to best log a range of exercise types without any user input; the latest generation Oura Ring autodetects 40 different workout types.
3. Two weeks or more of battery
Finally, the rumored Garmin Cirqa could set itself apart from the Fitbit Air by cruising well beyond the week-long battery barrier. In my testing, the Fitbit Air can easily last up to seven days per charge. However, that’s nothing compared to the Whoop 5.0, which is good for up to two weeks.
If Garmin wants the Cirqa to be considered a premium wearable, as the rumored price suggests it might be, then matching or surpassing the latest Whoop’s battery life is a must.
What are you hoping to see in the rumored Garmin Cirqa? Let me know in the comments below.
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