Garmin’s Whoop Killer Will Offer Free Heart Rate Monitoring After Backlash

Garmin will make live heart rate data available for free to owners of its new Cirqa band, sports tech blogger Ray Maker reports, one of a few key features on the wearable that previously required a Garmin Connect+ subscription to access. The company launched the $200 Garmin Cirqa as a direct challenger to screenless fitness bands like the Whoop 5.0 and Fitbit Air and differentiated itself by offering even more smart features without requiring a subscription. After some feedback from reviewers who received the band early, the deal is apparently getting even sweeter.

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“Garmin will be making a change to Garmin Connect Mobile in the coming days, so you’ll now be able to see Live HR from Cirqa during a workout (previously, you could only see workout Average HR unless you had Garmin Connect+),” Maker says. “See…feedback works. Sometimes.”

Good news update! Garmin will be making a change to Garmin Connect Mobile in the coming days, so you'll now be able to see Live HR from Cirqa during a workout (previously, you could only see workout Average HR unless you had Garmin Connect+). See…feedback works. Sometimes.