Garmin is poised to significantly enhance its smartwatch ecosystem by enabling more comprehensive data synchronization with Apple Health. This upcoming integration aims to streamline the collection and consolidation of health data from various devices and manufacturers into a single, unified application.
Following Garmin’s ongoing efforts to integrate with Google Health Connect, smartwatches like the Forerunner 570 are anticipated to achieve improved compatibility with Apple Health within the next two months, according to reports from The5krunner. While Garmin Connect has long offered the ability to export selected data to Apple Health, allowing users to view it alongside information from an Apple Watch or other third-party health monitors, the new development promises a more robust connection
Two-Way Data Flow and Seamless Device Switching
A key new feature will be Garmin Connect’s ability to read data directly from Apple Health. This bidirectional data flow will enable external health metrics to be integrated into Garmin’s fitness and health displays within the Connect app, as well as on Garmin smartwatches themselves. This advancement means users can seamlessly transition between smartwatches from different brands without encountering gaps in their historical data within the Garmin ecosystem. For instance, data from a third-party sleep monitor could be integrated into Garmin Connect to contribute to calculations like “Body Battery,” which assesses stress levels.
Anticipated Limitations and Supported Data Types
Despite this significant step towards a more open ecosystem, Garmin is not expected to offer complete data interoperability. Reports suggest the company will likely limit which data types can be read from and written to Apple Health. The exact scope of this two-way synchronization remains to be fully disclosed. Currently, Garmin Connect can transmit data such as body fat percentage, blood pressure, BMI, steps, distance, heart rate, sleep tracking data, and completed workouts to Apple Health. However, advanced sensor data, such as electrocardiogram (ECG) readings, are not currently supported for this level of integration.
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