System 6.2.0: The latest chapter in Garmin Connect IQ’s evolution
For years, Garmin has been at the forefront of smart device innovation, and their app development platform, Connect IQ, is no exception. Now the company has announced version 6.2.0 which brings some changes to the way things run.
What is Garmin Connect IQ?
For those not in the know, Garmin Connect IQ is an innovative app development platform specifically tailored for developers. It serves as the technical foundation on which they can build applications for various Garmin devices, including smartwatches, bike computers, and outdoor handhelds. Think of it as the playground where third-party applications come to life.
Connect IQ is particularly notable for its emphasis on fitness and outdoor applications. It facilitates features such as tracking health metrics, mapping outdoor adventures, and customising device interfaces. As you can see, all of this is a crucial element in Garmin’s ecosystem, enabling a continuous stream of new features and improvements for Garmin device users.
Connect IQ has a reputation for introducing a new major version each fall, followed by minor updates throughout the year. Each iteration offers new capabilities depending on the device it’s applied to, from AMOLED displays to MIP-based screens. The availability of new features is often tied to a device’s processing power or simply due to the model’s age.
Garmin Connect IQ 6.2.0 – what’s new?
The company has just announced the second quarterly maintenance release of System 6. It introduces an array of features to the Connect IQ platform for developers to play with.
Furthermore, there’s a new system numbering that now reflects the system level, annual quarterly maintenance release, and SDK release within a quarter. This is a departure from the previous tradition of aligning the SDK version with the Connect IQ API version,
One of the important features in this release is the introduction of Scalable Fonts. Historically, font support across Garmin devices has varied significantly. With the new scalable fonts feature, developers can now access a scalable font, providing a customizable and consistent user experience across various devices. This move towards greater flexibility is also seen in the new syntax for layouts, offering multiple ways to refer to fonts.
Another development in this release is the Bitmap Transformation. This feature adds a new layer of customization, allowing developers to manipulate the color of an asset to match a user-defined theme color.
Garmin also focused on user feedback in this release, introducing a mechanism for developers to solicit reviews. Developers can now request a review token, and upon receiving a token from the store, initiate the review process. This mechanism has been designed to be low-friction, maximizing the number of users who leave reviews.
Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets
Finally, Garmin’s epixTm (gen 2) Pro series introduced a new feature called Red Shift, which enhances readability in low light conditions. This feature is now testable in the Connect IQ simulator.
The System 6.2.0 features are available across the following devices:
Those interested can read details of the full change-log on Garmin’s website.
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