Garmin Launches WhatsApp App for Smartwatches
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Mar 17 2026
0mins
Should l Buy GRMN?
Source: Newsfilter
- WhatsApp App Launch: Garmin has announced the launch of the WhatsApp app, now available for free in the Connect IQ Store for compatible smartwatches including fēnix, Forerunner, Venu, and vívoactive, allowing users to communicate quickly without needing to pull out their phones, thereby enhancing user convenience and experience.
- Feature-Rich: Users can read, reply, and react to messages directly on their smartwatch, view recent conversations, and quickly respond using the built-in keyboard, with up to 10 messages displayed on screen, which not only enhances user interactivity but also increases the smartwatch's practicality.
- Privacy Assurance: All messages and calls on WhatsApp are protected by end-to-end encryption, ensuring user privacy, a feature that will further enhance user trust in Garmin smartwatches and promote market acceptance of the product.
- Developer Ecosystem: WhatsApp is the first third-party messaging app available on Garmin smartwatches, showcasing the strength of Garmin's developer program and the potential of the Connect IQ platform, which is expected to attract more developers to provide personalized wearable experiences for users.
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Analyst Views on GRMN
Wall Street analysts forecast GRMN stock price to rise
4 Analyst Rating
2 Buy
2 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 230.160
Low
217.00
Averages
259.00
High
310.00
Current: 230.160
Low
217.00
Averages
259.00
High
310.00
About GRMN
Garmin Ltd. (Garmin) is a Switzerland-based entity. The Company and its subsidiaries offer global positioning system (GPS) navigation and wireless devices and applications. The Company operates through five segments: fitness, outdoor, aviation, marine and auto. It offers a range of auto navigation products, as well as a range of products and applications designed for the mobile GPS market. It offers Outdoor Handhelds, Wearable Devices, Golf Devices, and Dog Tracking and Training/Pet Obedience Devices. Garmin offers various products designed for use in fitness and activity tracking. Company’s aviation business segment is a provider of solutions to aircraft manufacturers, existing aircraft owners and operators, as well as military and government customers and serves a range of aircraft, including transport aircraft, business aviation, general aviation, experimental/light sport, helicopters, optionally piloted vehicles, and unmanned aerial vehicles. Company operates worldwide.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
GPS Disruptions Surge Amid Middle East Conflict
- Surge in GPS Disruptions: Following the U.S. and Israel's pre-emptive strikes against Iran on February 28, GPS disruptions have surged in the Middle East, with over 1,100 vessels experiencing AIS signal interference within the first 24 hours, affecting maritime, aviation, and land transportation while exposing vulnerabilities in the American-made satellite navigation system.
- Reasons for Interference: Analysts suggest that Gulf states may be jamming satellite navigation signals to protect critical infrastructure from drone and missile attacks, a tactic increasingly common in modern warfare, as evidenced by similar disruptions following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
- Impact on Shipping: Despite the significant reduction in shipping activity due to the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, foreign-flagged vessels from countries like China and India still have transit rights, making accurate positioning data crucial for avoiding collisions and grounding risks in the narrow strait, which measures only 21 miles (33 km) at its narrowest point.
- Emerging Technology Trends: As GPS signal jamming intensifies, industry experts highlight the vulnerabilities of satellite navigation systems, noting that modern chips can receive signals from multiple global navigation systems, with Iran potentially utilizing China's BeiDou, posing a challenge to U.S. strategic dominance in global navigation.
See More
Garmin Announces Q1 2026 Earnings Conference Call Details
- Earnings Call Schedule: Garmin will host its Q1 2026 earnings conference call on April 29, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. EDT, featuring executives who will provide shareholders and investors with the latest financial insights.
- Pre-Market Earnings Release: The earnings report will be released prior to market open on the same day as the call, ensuring that investors receive critical information to inform their investment decisions promptly.
- Online Registration Access: Investors can register online at the Garmin Q1 2026 Earnings Call Webcast page, where they will receive dial-in information and a conference ID, facilitating their participation in the call.
- Webcast Archive Availability: The live webcast will be accessible on Garmin's investor relations website, and an archive will be available for one year post-event, allowing investors who cannot attend live to review the information later.
See More
Garmin Schedules Q1 2026 Earnings Conference Call
- Earnings Call Scheduled: Garmin will host its Q1 2026 earnings conference call on April 29, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. EDT, featuring executives to provide shareholders and investors with the latest financial insights, enhancing transparency.
- Pre-Release of Earnings: The earnings report will be released prior to the market opening on the same day as the call, ensuring investors have access to the latest financial data before the meeting, allowing for more informed investment decisions.
- Online Registration Access: Investors can register online to receive dial-in information and conference ID, improving accessibility and ensuring more shareholders can participate in real-time updates about the company.
- Webcast Archive Availability: The live webcast will be accessible via Garmin's investor relations website and archived for one year post-event, allowing investors who cannot attend live to review the content, thereby enhancing information accessibility.
See More
Garmin Launches WhatsApp App for Smartwatches
- WhatsApp App Launch: Garmin has announced the availability of the WhatsApp app in the Connect IQ Store for select smartwatches, including fēnix, Forerunner, Venu, and vívoactive series, allowing users to communicate quickly without needing to take out their phones, thereby enhancing user convenience and interactivity.
- Enhanced Privacy Protection: The WhatsApp app continues to utilize end-to-end encryption, ensuring that personal messages and calls are only visible to the sender and receiver, which further strengthens user trust in Garmin products.
- Developer Ecosystem: This collaboration marks WhatsApp as the first third-party messaging app available on Garmin smartwatches, showcasing the potential of Garmin's robust developer program and Connect IQ platform, driving innovation in wearable technology.
- Global User Connectivity: The introduction of WhatsApp enables over 3 billion users to stay connected directly from their Garmin smartwatches, further expanding Garmin's influence in the global market and enhancing the brand's competitive edge.
See More
Garmin Launches WhatsApp App for Smartwatches
- WhatsApp App Launch: Garmin has announced the launch of the WhatsApp app, now available for free in the Connect IQ Store for compatible smartwatches including fēnix, Forerunner, Venu, and vívoactive, allowing users to communicate quickly without needing to pull out their phones, thereby enhancing user convenience and experience.
- Feature-Rich: Users can read, reply, and react to messages directly on their smartwatch, view recent conversations, and quickly respond using the built-in keyboard, with up to 10 messages displayed on screen, which not only enhances user interactivity but also increases the smartwatch's practicality.
- Privacy Assurance: All messages and calls on WhatsApp are protected by end-to-end encryption, ensuring user privacy, a feature that will further enhance user trust in Garmin smartwatches and promote market acceptance of the product.
- Developer Ecosystem: WhatsApp is the first third-party messaging app available on Garmin smartwatches, showcasing the strength of Garmin's developer program and the potential of the Connect IQ platform, which is expected to attract more developers to provide personalized wearable experiences for users.
See More
Garmin, Synaptics, and QuantumScape Report Key Financial Highlights
- Garmin Financial Performance: Garmin achieved record revenue of $7.245 billion in FY2025, a 15% year-over-year increase, with all five business segments posting record results, showcasing the company's strong market competitiveness and sustained growth potential.
- Synaptics Growth Momentum: Synaptics reported Q2 FY2026 revenue of $302.5 million, up 13% year over year, with core IoT product sales surging 53%, indicating the company's significant position in the rapidly growing edge AI market.
- QuantumScape Commercial Milestone: QuantumScape generated its first-ever customer billings of $19.5 million in FY2025, marking a successful transition from pre-revenue to commercial production, although it still faces significant losses, the technological advancements and customer base expansion indicate future growth potential.
- Capital Return Plan: Garmin announced a 17% increase in its annual dividend to $4.20 per share and authorized a new $500 million share repurchase program, reflecting the company's confidence in future performance and commitment to shareholders.
See More
GPS Disruptions Surge Amid Middle East Conflict
- Surge in GPS Disruptions: Following the U.S. and Israel's pre-emptive strikes against Iran on February 28, GPS disruptions have surged in the Middle East, with over 1,100 vessels experiencing AIS signal interference within the first 24 hours, affecting maritime, aviation, and land transportation while exposing vulnerabilities in the American-made satellite navigation system.
- Reasons for Interference: Analysts suggest that Gulf states may be jamming satellite navigation signals to protect critical infrastructure from drone and missile attacks, a tactic increasingly common in modern warfare, as evidenced by similar disruptions following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
- Impact on Shipping: Despite the significant reduction in shipping activity due to the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, foreign-flagged vessels from countries like China and India still have transit rights, making accurate positioning data crucial for avoiding collisions and grounding risks in the narrow strait, which measures only 21 miles (33 km) at its narrowest point.
- Emerging Technology Trends: As GPS signal jamming intensifies, industry experts highlight the vulnerabilities of satellite navigation systems, noting that modern chips can receive signals from multiple global navigation systems, with Iran potentially utilizing China's BeiDou, posing a challenge to U.S. strategic dominance in global navigation.
See More
Garmin Announces Q1 2026 Earnings Conference Call Details
- Earnings Call Schedule: Garmin will host its Q1 2026 earnings conference call on April 29, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. EDT, featuring executives who will provide shareholders and investors with the latest financial insights.
- Pre-Market Earnings Release: The earnings report will be released prior to market open on the same day as the call, ensuring that investors receive critical information to inform their investment decisions promptly.
- Online Registration Access: Investors can register online at the Garmin Q1 2026 Earnings Call Webcast page, where they will receive dial-in information and a conference ID, facilitating their participation in the call.
- Webcast Archive Availability: The live webcast will be accessible on Garmin's investor relations website, and an archive will be available for one year post-event, allowing investors who cannot attend live to review the information later.
See More
Garmin Schedules Q1 2026 Earnings Conference Call
- Earnings Call Scheduled: Garmin will host its Q1 2026 earnings conference call on April 29, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. EDT, featuring executives to provide shareholders and investors with the latest financial insights, enhancing transparency.
- Pre-Release of Earnings: The earnings report will be released prior to the market opening on the same day as the call, ensuring investors have access to the latest financial data before the meeting, allowing for more informed investment decisions.
- Online Registration Access: Investors can register online to receive dial-in information and conference ID, improving accessibility and ensuring more shareholders can participate in real-time updates about the company.
- Webcast Archive Availability: The live webcast will be accessible via Garmin's investor relations website and archived for one year post-event, allowing investors who cannot attend live to review the content, thereby enhancing information accessibility.
See More
Garmin Launches WhatsApp App for Smartwatches
- WhatsApp App Launch: Garmin has announced the availability of the WhatsApp app in the Connect IQ Store for select smartwatches, including fēnix, Forerunner, Venu, and vívoactive series, allowing users to communicate quickly without needing to take out their phones, thereby enhancing user convenience and interactivity.
- Enhanced Privacy Protection: The WhatsApp app continues to utilize end-to-end encryption, ensuring that personal messages and calls are only visible to the sender and receiver, which further strengthens user trust in Garmin products.
- Developer Ecosystem: This collaboration marks WhatsApp as the first third-party messaging app available on Garmin smartwatches, showcasing the potential of Garmin's robust developer program and Connect IQ platform, driving innovation in wearable technology.
- Global User Connectivity: The introduction of WhatsApp enables over 3 billion users to stay connected directly from their Garmin smartwatches, further expanding Garmin's influence in the global market and enhancing the brand's competitive edge.
See More
Garmin Launches WhatsApp App for Smartwatches
- WhatsApp App Launch: Garmin has announced the launch of the WhatsApp app, now available for free in the Connect IQ Store for compatible smartwatches including fēnix, Forerunner, Venu, and vívoactive, allowing users to communicate quickly without needing to pull out their phones, thereby enhancing user convenience and experience.
- Feature-Rich: Users can read, reply, and react to messages directly on their smartwatch, view recent conversations, and quickly respond using the built-in keyboard, with up to 10 messages displayed on screen, which not only enhances user interactivity but also increases the smartwatch's practicality.
- Privacy Assurance: All messages and calls on WhatsApp are protected by end-to-end encryption, ensuring user privacy, a feature that will further enhance user trust in Garmin smartwatches and promote market acceptance of the product.
- Developer Ecosystem: WhatsApp is the first third-party messaging app available on Garmin smartwatches, showcasing the strength of Garmin's developer program and the potential of the Connect IQ platform, which is expected to attract more developers to provide personalized wearable experiences for users.
See More
Garmin, Synaptics, and QuantumScape Report Key Financial Highlights
- Garmin Financial Performance: Garmin achieved record revenue of $7.245 billion in FY2025, a 15% year-over-year increase, with all five business segments posting record results, showcasing the company's strong market competitiveness and sustained growth potential.
- Synaptics Growth Momentum: Synaptics reported Q2 FY2026 revenue of $302.5 million, up 13% year over year, with core IoT product sales surging 53%, indicating the company's significant position in the rapidly growing edge AI market.
- QuantumScape Commercial Milestone: QuantumScape generated its first-ever customer billings of $19.5 million in FY2025, marking a successful transition from pre-revenue to commercial production, although it still faces significant losses, the technological advancements and customer base expansion indicate future growth potential.
- Capital Return Plan: Garmin announced a 17% increase in its annual dividend to $4.20 per share and authorized a new $500 million share repurchase program, reflecting the company's confidence in future performance and commitment to shareholders.
See More
