Best new Garmin Connect IQ apps & watch-faces in 2022
Garmin’s recent Developer Virtual Conference has announced awards for best new Connect IQ apps and watch-faces in 2022.
Connect IQ is Garmin’s platform that allows owners of its sports watches the ability to install third-party software. This is your all-in-one source for personalising the device on your wrist, bike computer or other Garmin gear. There’s lots of free stuff to download including apps, widgets, watch faces, data fields and more.
Essential reading: Best fitness trackers and health gadgets
It’s fun to browse to see what is available. Whatever you are interested in, whether it be weather, games, compatible music services, new workout metrics – you’ll find something that piques your interest.
The winners in 2022
In this article we flag up the Best Connect IQ Apps and Watch-Faces for 2022 as voted for by Garmin at its October Developer Conference. An annual event, the aim of the virtual gathering is to explore how Garmin Developer Programs can support your ideas and innovations.
Best new apps
In 2022, the winner in the Best New App category is Parkrun Barcode. We actually covered this app in our earlier piece. The software is for those looking for a more convenient way to register their barcode at the end of a parkrun. For those not in the know, parkruns are 5k events that take place in parks and open spaces on Saturday mornings around the world. There are nearly 200,000 of them!
Install this app and you’ll no longer need to take a print of your barcode to an event. This widget displays all the relevant info including your parkrun id, barcode, name and more. Just don’t forget to scan the code at the finish line!
Next down the list is an app called Moon Calendar Watch. This shows info such as the moon phase for your location, alongside precise times of sunrise, sunset, moonrise and moonset.
You can even use the app without a connection to your phone. You do need to fork over for a one time payment for the accompanying phone app, but if you need this type of info it might be worth considering.
In Bronze medal place in the best new app category is ANT+ HRM heart rate monitor. This interesting software allows you to connect another ANT+ heart rate monitor in addition to the optical heart rate monitor built into the Garmin watch and the sensor paired in the system settings. What this means is that you can have two independent devices monitoring your heart rate and displaying the readings on the watch face.
Why would this be useful we hear you ask? Good question.
Perhaps you want to check the accuracy of the device or external heart rate monitor. Another idea is to connect to the heart rate monitor of the running partner next to you. That way you can keep an eye on their performance alongside yours.
Best new watch-faces
There are also some winners in the Best New Watch Faces category.
Top of the pops is the Glance Watch Face by MobileDriveway. Its main focus is “glanceability”. The app makes it simple to see all the important data in one go. It’s no wonder the watch face has had over 600,000 downloads since it was originally unveiled.
The runners up in this category are ASAP by ISGR and Quatro by VeshchiyOleg. They can also be found in the Connect IQ Store. The watch-faces won’t cost you anything so give them a try.
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