In a move that confirms recent rumors, Garmin has officially announced that Google Maps is now available on its Connect IQ app store.
However, while the long-awaited integration is a massive win for users, there’s still a significant catch: as predicted by leaks last month, the integration is only available by mirroring navigation from an Android smartphone.
That means those with iOS devices will still be unable to access the popular app on their Garmin watch, even if it’s one of the latest Fenix, Forerunner, or Venu models.
How does Google Maps on Garmin watches work?
After you set a destination in the Google Maps app on your Android phone, Garmin says that compatible watches—which you can view the full list of via the app’s Connect IQ Store listing here—will display turn-by-turn directions for walking, running, or cycling.
The watch provides a gentle vibration to alert you to an upcoming turn, meaning you can keep your phone in your pocket and your eyes on the road or trail ahead. You can also still record your activity metrics, such as distance and heart rate, in the background.
A sign of more to come?
The arrival of a heavyweight app like Google Maps is a significant boost for Garmin’s Connect IQ platform, which has historically lacked the big-name third-party apps seen on watchOS or Wear OS.
While it isn’t the phone-free onboard mapping some may have dreamed of—and there’s still no support for iOS users—it’s a huge step forward for everyday convenience.
Based on other leaks, it could also be just the first step of many we see this year, and it certainly doesn’t feel like a stretch to suggest this new partnership could be the prelude to Garmin’s potential return to LTE support via a Fenix 8 LTE later this year.
Building out its app ecosystem with powerhouse names like Google strengthens the case for a more connected, feature-rich device, and it could well be that this new integration gets even stronger if Garmin does add improved connectivity at some stage.
For now, though, we’ll have to wait and see on that one. In the meantime, I’ll be dusting off my old Android and testing how this new app works in the wild.
