Garmin cuts data access: Developers begin shutting down smartwatch apps

Garmin allows third-party developers to create apps for its smartwatches, which has led to a varied ecosystem of software for its wearables. Although Garmin does not fully open its platform—despite past indications of greater openness—developers are subject to specific rules. These include restrictions on the types of data that can be accessed through the relevant APIs. However, these guidelines appear to have been updated without advance notice.

David Tinker, developer of the training analysis platform Intervals.icu, reported the change in a forum post. Garmin’s revised terms explicitly prohibit developers from forwarding data obtained via the Garmin Connect API through their own interfaces. This practice, known as onward sharing, is standard in data processing. Garmin’s decision to restrict this option does not necessarily indicate a deliberate attempt to exclude third-party developers, as onward sharing often introduces data privacy concerns.

Nevertheless, the policy change does not prevent Intervals.icu from working with Garmin smartwatches entirely. In practice, it mainly reduces user convenience, as training data can be downloaded and uploaded manually for analysis. However, the update has already claimed its first casualty: Intervals Pro was discontinued on October 12. Other services and apps may be similarly affected by the new restrictions.