Garmin’s next product may have just leaked, and it won’t be a sequel to anything on our list of the best Garmin watches, a cycling computer, an InReach messaging device, or any of the other hardware the company is famous for; instead, it could be the brand’s long-rumored screenless fitness tracker.
seen above Android AuthorityEagle-eyed Redditors spotted the appearance of a device called the “Garmin Cirqa Smart Bracelet” on Garmin’s website and captured it before it disappeared. The screenshot included in the Reddit comment below showed that the group could launch in about “4 to 5 months,” or in May or June.
Two sizes and two colors, black and French grey, are listed, although pricing information is conspicuously lacking.
vanishing point Le5KRunner Also below was a screenshot of some information that Google indexed before disappearing. This confirms that the bracelet is designed to fit the wrist, with grainy thumbnail images and some sizing details.
From these two screenshots it is clear that we are looking at a Whoop competitor. We previously thought the Garmin Index Sleep Monitor wouldn’t launch last year, but this particular screenless tracker ended up being a wristband designed to be worn in bed.
Oops, that’s all
We’ve been hearing rumors for a while that Garmin is working on something that could compete with the Whoop MG and Whoop 5.0. It’s a simple concept – a fabric band stretched over an optical heart rate monitor that passively records training and recovery metrics, rather than being designed to interact like a smartwatch – but it’s seen a resurgence in popularity in recent months.
The Polar Loop and Amazfit Helio Strap were recently launched, and will be joined this year by the Luna Band and Speediance Strap. So it’s no surprise that Garmin is finally throwing its hat into this ring – it’s now a proven concept outside of Whoop and the time feels like the right time.
Unfortunately, Whoop probably won’t be happy with the competition. Our sister site Tom’s Guide reported that Whoop tried to sue Polar over his Polar Loop bandSo it will be interesting to see how the company responds to Garmin’s involvement in the screenless tracker action.
