New open-source app emerges from Garmin Connect+ frustration
A new community-driven project has quietly surfaced in response to Garmin’s recent Connect+ paywall changes. It’s still early days, but a grassroots effort to build a proper Garmin alternative is underway. Yesterday, the first version of the app was submitted to both app stores.
Frustration has turned into action
Garmin’s decision to introduce a new tier for its Connect app hasn’t gone down well. But the backlash was more than just noise. A loosely formed group of developers, originally brought together via a Reddit sub and now coordinating on Discord, have begun work on a user-driven alternative. There’s no central team or company behind it. Just individuals combining skills to build something they actually want to use.
The foundation for the project came from an old hobby app. It already had integrations with Apple Health Kit and Android Health Connect, so it offered a useful head start. That codebase has now been revived and adapted, and the project has submitted its first version to both the App Store and Google Play.
This isn’t just for coders. Anyone can take part. A survey has been set up to gather feedback, and decisions about features and priorities are being shaped around what the community wants.
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Sleep and activity tracking appear to be the most requested features, followed by Garmin integration. Right now, there’s no direct sync with Garmin devices, but the app should be able to display your Garmin data if it’s already flowing into Apple Health or Android Health Connect. Native Garmin integration is at the top of the to-do list.
The first version is (almost) here
Android users can request early access via a public form. iOS users will need to wait until Apple’s review process is complete. Once approved, the app will be available on the App Store. A simple search for “MeterHealth” should probably suffice.
At this stage, the feature set is minimal. But the approach is different. Weekly coordination meetings are taking place. An onboarding system has been created for contributors. And the codebase is being prepared to open up to a wider set of developers.
This article first appeared on Gadgets & Wearables, where the story was originally reported.
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