Do you want to purchase a new Garmin watch and are wondering whether it will work with your iPhone or not?
Garmin smartwatches are known for their accurate activity sensors and the in-depth activity data that they provide. If you too want a smartwatch to track your workout sessions then choosing a Garmin watch makes a lot of sense. But wait, you use an iPhone, do Garmin smartwatches work with iPhones?
Do not worry! In this article, I am going to tell you whether Garmin watches are compatible with iPhones or not. Not only this, but I will also tell you how you can pair the Garmin smartwatch with an iOS device. And I will also tell you the best Garmin watch options that you have.
So keep reading!
Quick Navigation
- Do Garmin Watches Work With iPhones?
- What Garmin Features Are Compatible With iPhone?
- How To Connect Garmin Watch To iPhone?
- Best Garmin Smartwatches For iPhone
- Why You Should Choose Garmin Watch Over Apple Watch?
Do Garmin Watches Work With iPhones?
Yes, Garmin smartwatches are compatible with all iPhones that run on iOS 7 or higher. Therefore even if you own an iPhone you can definitely go for a Garmin watch without worrying about compatibility.
What Garmin Features Are Compatible With iPhone?
You will be able to use all the features of the Garmin smartwatch by connecting it to an iPhone except the one. You will not be able to send or reply to text messages through the smartwatch when connected to an iPhone.
How To Connect Garmin Watch To iPhone?
You will be able to use all the features of your Garmin watch by connecting it to your iPhone. To connect it to an iPhone, you first have to download the Garmin Connect app from the App Store.
Once downloaded, you will be able to pair your smartwatch with your iPhone by following the on-screen steps. After connection, your watch will send all your activity data to the Garmin Connect app and then you will be able to see the in-depth data about your training by opening the app. If you want then you can also create custom workouts and add them to your Garmin watch to track your activities more accurately.
Best Garmin Smartwatches For iPhone
Let us now look at some of the best Garmin smartwatches that are compatible with your iPhone.
1) Garmin Forerunner 245M
Garmin Forerunner 245M is one of the best Garmin smartwatches that are compatible with iPhones available in the market, especially if you are a runner.
This smartwatch comes loaded with features and I personally own one. You can check my in-depth review of Garmin Forerunner 245 Music to know in detail about the watch.
Let me tell you in brief what all you get in this watch.
This Garmin smartwatch comes with a 24/7 heart rate monitor which I found to be accurate during my daily usage. The watch also comes with a SpO2 tracker. I tested its SpO2 tracker against an oximeter and the Forerunner 245M returned the similar results every time. You can check out the test video below.
This watch also comes with a recovery function, which I really liked. It tells me the amount of time my body will take to fully recover after the workout session. This feature is a must-have for me as I sometimes push myself too hard. Therefore I need to know the amount of time my body needs to rest before I start doing another session.
Forerunner 245M smartwatch comes with Spotify support. There is 3.5 GB of internal storage in the watch which I use to download music to the watch. I can then listen to these songs by connecting a wireless headphone to it.
However, the thing that I have noticed is that listening to music while working out reduces the battery life of the watch by almost half. When I do not listen to the music then I get a battery life of around 5 days from the watch. However, when I listen to the songs then I get a battery life of around 2-2.5 days.
Overall, it is a good smartwatch and I highly recommend this to people that want a watch to track their runs accurately and at the same time do not want to spend big. You can also check out my detailed review video of Forerunner 245 Music below to know more about the watch.
2) Garmin Vivoactive 3
Garmin Vivoactive 3 is one of the cheapest watches by Garmin. And if you are running really short on budget then you can definitely grab this one. It works flawlessly with iPhones.
Like Forerunner 245 music, this watch also comes with an inbuilt GPS. Which I think is great because not many smartwatches offer you inbuilt GPS at this price point. With the help of inbuilt GPS, you will be able to track your running as well as cycling sessions accurately.
The smartwatch supports more than 15 sports modes and it also has a VO2 max monitor. Therefore you can track how much oxygen your body is absorbing during the workout.
Other than the sleep and heart rate tracker, this watch comes with a stress monitor too. And its 7 days of battery life is at par with the Garmin Forerunner 245 Music.
3) Garmin Fenix 7
Garmin Fenix 7 is the latest smartwatch from the house of Garmin. And if you are looking for a feature-rich outdoor smartwatch that is compatible with iPhone then you will not get any better than this.
This smartwatch comes loaded with special features for people who like to go on adventure trips frequently. Along with multiple satellite navigation systems, this smartwatch comes with topographic maps. And to even help you further in your adventure trips, this watch comes with an inbuilt 3-axis compass, barometer, altimeter, and gyroscope.
The thing that you will love the most is its battery life. Fenix 7 comes with a claimed battery life of 18 days in smartwatch mode. If not more, you can expect a battery life of at least two weeks. And it can be extended to 57 days with a battery saver mode, this is just amazing. Therefore, it does not matter how long your trip is going to be, if you can last so will your Fenix 7.
This smartwatch also comes with a host of body health trackers like a sleep and heart rate monitor, respiration tracker, body battery energy meter, and a hydration tracker. The Fenix 7 smartwatch also comes with a Pulse Ox sensor. As a result, you do not have to worry about your body’s health because you will be able to see what is right and what is wrong with it.
Fenix 7 is also one of the smartwatches that come with a fall detection feature. Therefore if you experience a hard fall on your adventure trips then your loved ones will be notified of the same and the help will be on its way.
Like the Forerunner 245M, you will also be able to download and listen to your favorite tracks using Spotify, Deezer, or Amazon Music as this smartwatch comes with music storage.
Why You Should Choose Garmin Watch Over Apple Watch?
Let us look at some of the reasons why you should consider a Garmin watch over the Apple watch.
1) Available Options
There aren’t many options available if you want to buy an Apple watch. However, there are plenty of options available if you want to buy a Garmin watch. From cheap to costliest ones, from everyday watches to fitness trackers and smartwatches to outdoor watches. It does not matter what kind of a watch you want, you will find a suitable watch in Garmin’s basket.
2) Extensive Performance Tracking
If performance tracking is what you want then there is no smartwatch company that can beat Garmin. Having said that, it does not mean that Apple watches don’t do performance tracking at all, but the kind of information and data that Garmin provides is just outstanding.
3) Battery Life
There is just no comparison between Garmin and Apple when it comes to battery life. Apple watches will not last more than a day and a half at their best. On the other hand, Garmin watches come with a battery life of at least 7 days and they generally last around 5-6 days.
4) Build Quality
If you want an everyday watch then an Apple watch will do the job. But if you want a smartwatch that can withstand the toughest of situations then Garmin watches are the ones that come out on top. Garmin watches have better build quality as compared to Apple watches. Some of the Garmin watches even use the toughest metals like titanium to protect them from all the hard falls and breakages.
