Updated
Updated · Forbes · Jul 26
Garmin Unveils $199.99 Screen-Free Cirqa Tracker, Rejecting Subscription-Heavy Model
Updated
Updated · Forbes · Jul 26

Garmin Unveils $199.99 Screen-Free Cirqa Tracker, Rejecting Subscription-Heavy Model

3 articles · Updated · Forbes · Jul 26

Summary

  • $199.99 Garmin Cirqa is now open for orders, with shipping listed at 3-5 weeks, marking Garmin’s first screen-free fitness band.
  • Garmin positioned Cirqa as a low-distraction wearable with its own controls and alerts, including a button for manual activity starts, a smart alarm and hourly vibration reminders.
  • The band adds skin-temperature sensing and Bluetooth heart-rate broadcasting, while relying on connected GPS that can map even auto-detected activities.
  • Garmin said Cirqa is not meant to be worn alongside a Garmin watch because the platform prioritizes one primary device and avoids duplicating tracked workouts.
  • Garmin also said it avoided a more advanced heart-rate module to keep the device smaller and reiterated it will not put users’ core data behind a paid subscription.

Insights

Why did Garmin skip its newest heart-rate sensor in Cirqa, and does the slimmer design justify the tradeoff?
If Cirqa overlaps with Garmin watches, who is this screen-free band really for?