Screen-free fitness trackers live and die on the strength of their apps. If you don’t have a screen to look at on the device itself, you have to dive into the app regularly to see your stats instead, and that data needs to be well-presented.
This has always been a strength for Whoop, has been a focus for the Fitbit Air since launch, and it was a glaring weakness when the Polar Loop screenless band launched, because the partner Polar Flow app wasn’t up to scratch.
Garmin just launched its first screenless tracker in the Cirqa band and the reliance it will have on the Garmin Connect app is the reason why I think all Garmin users will benefit from the new launch, because it will prompt updates to the app.
The Garmin Connect app could be better
I’ve been using the best Garmin watches for the past 10 years and I can’t fault the devices themselves, which are always accurate, offer a wealth of data and useful smart features, and look good.
However, the Garmin Connect app is less impressive, despite improvements to the home screen over the past couple of years.
There’s a lot of data in the app, but it’s not always easy to find what you want — features I use regularly like the workout creator and route builder are buried beneath several settings menus.
Since I can see all the stats I want and make changes to most settings directly on my Garmin Forerunner 970, this hasn’t been a problem, but if you buy the Garmin Cirqa and need to use the Connect app for everything, it could be more frustrating.
Improvements have already started
To its credit, Garmin does make fairly regular updates to the Connect app and has already made a telling upgrade to the home screen with the launch of the Cirqa, adding an "Essentials" section to the top of the home screen.
This shows four key stats at a glance, including things like your sleep score, training readiness and HRV status. The kind of stats that have been put front and center with other screenless devices, like the Whoop and Oura Ring.
The color-coded breakdown of these important stats immediately makes the home page more useful at a glance, and it’s a handy update for all Garmin users, not just those who have the Cirqa.
My hope as someone who uses Garmin watches is that the arrival of the Cirqa band will result in a continuing focus on Garmin Connect app improvements, to the benefit of all, so even if you have no interest in a screen-free band yourself, it’s worth celebrating if you’re a Garmin user.
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