- Garmin and Meta have unveiled a WhatsApp integration for ‘select’ Garmin watches
- The app, available in the Garmin Connect IQ store, allows users to view up to 10 messages, incoming calls, reply with a built-in keyboard and react to incoming messages
- Previously, users could view but not interact with messages via Garmin’s notification functionality
Garmin and Meta have launched a WhatsApp app for ‘select’ Garmin watches, available in the Garmin Connect IQ store. The app allows users to view a history of up to 10 messages per message. chat on a Garmin watch, respond to incoming messages and reply using a built-in keyboard.
The app also allows you to view incoming calls with the option to reject them.
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Nikhil Joshi, Director of Product Management at Meta, said in a press release that “WhatsApp helps people stay connected no matter what platform they use. We’re proud to bring WhatsApp to Garmin smartwatches so more people can keep their private conversations going right from their wrist.”
This collaboration isn’t particularly surprising: Garmin has slowly moved away from its roots as a company that makes GPS-first specialist training tools and more towards lifestyle smartwatches, to compete with the top Apple Watch models.
People want brighter, less efficient AMOLED screens over duller MIP screens, watches that let you take calls like the Garmin Forerunner 970, and the ability to message people back from their wrist.
One potential sticking point, however, is the lack of LTE on most Garmin watches, forcing you to remain tethered to your phone to use the app. While still convenient—you’re able to reply to messages without reaching into your pocket or bag—Garmin watches don’t function like a phone-in-miniature the way LTE-enabled models from Apple and Samsung do.
If you want to download the new integration, here is the list of compatible Garmin smartwatches according to the Connect IQ store:
The list is not very long: no Instinct series, older Forerunners or any of the top golf watches, such as the Garmin Approach S70.
Garmin continues its recent mission to drive more people to its frankly underutilized Connect IQ store with this new WhatsApp integration, following on from last week’s collaboration with the Pokémon Sleep app. Here’s what happened when I tried one of the new Pokémon watch faces for a few days, and how it ended up fixing my sleep via emotional blackmail.
The best Garmin watches for all budgets
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