Garmin’s already considering more subscription-locked features following user backlash

Smartwatches have really come into their own, and it’s no surprise that longtime mobile tech giant Garmin’s are among the best. They can also cost quite a bit, but like the Garmin Fenix 8, they’re actually worth it in many ways. Plus, the free Garmin Connect app integrates with many other popular services and provides helpful health data.

But the March 2025 introduction of an AI-centric subscription model rubbed many owners and potential buyers the wrong way. The backlash was real. If you listen to CEO Cliff Pemble’s Q1 2025 earnings call, though, you’ll hear a different story. Citing “positive” feedback surrounding the new paid tier, the company will continue to develop new features for its top-of-the-line smartwatches, and “certain ones, we will likely reserve for premium offerings.” (Source: TechRadar) Ready your pitchforks, smartwatch fans… or maybe not?

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The new Garmin Instinct 3 solar smartwatch.

Let’s make one thing perfectly clear. CEO Pemble’s statements to investors and analysts do not, at any point, indicate the company plans to lock currently free features behind a monthly fee. That would be particularly egregious. Nor do they imply that all new Garmin watch features will require a paid subscription.

But that is where the consumer fears begin, and it’s easy to see why. So far, the Connect+ AI magic builds on data-driven insights by tacking on such gems as, “Maintaining a consistent record of your daily activity can offer valuable insights into your overall health and well-being.” It doesn’t make much sense to shell out extra cash every month for an LLM to blandly remind you why you bought a smartwatch in the first place.

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On the one hand, the subscription is new, and the CEO’s statements indicate its features will likely get fleshed out over time. On the other hand, current owners already roundly mock the chatbot for its less-than-groundbreaking insights. One could argue that launching a minimally functional LLM add-on — and charging $7 per month for it — stands to give users new and old a poor first impression of the subscription’s value.

Then, on the third hand, is the CEO’s seemingly ill-advised phrasing. To be fair, it was an earnings call, which involved management sharing with investors and analysts various key metrics and encouraging promises of the future. While Pemble wasn’t talking to consumers, they’re right to listen. Indeed, current owners of the $900 Garmin Enduro 3 will almost certainly need to open their wallets again to receive the full benefits of the company’s future software development. But how much does it matter?

Some Garmin smartwatches actually support the installation of YouTube Music.

Without a further roadmap, we can’t yet be certain. It’s possible that future subscription-only tools will encompass only the most surface-level, natural-language feature additions — although the current such offerings would need to expand drastically to make them worth anybody’s money. Furthermore, that lack of a roadmap is part of many people’s complaints. Users are now unsure whether their costly wearable will receive any new features without a subscription. Plus, the paid plan’s currently mediocre benefits don’t inspire much faith in Garmin’s commitment to actually useful innovation.

For now, Garmins remain among the top Android smartwatches. That probably won’t change anytime soon. The company likely won’t pull the rug and lock currently much-appreciated features or integrations behind a new subscription. But only time will tell.

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