Garmin Joins Screenless Wearable Race With Cirqa Smart Band

Garmin is widening its fitness strategy on two fronts.

One day after revealing the screenless Cirqa Smart Band, the company announced it had acquired TrainingPeaks and TrainHeroic.

These buys add two leading coaching platforms to its growing fitness portfolio.

"The addition of these highly successful platforms to the Garmin ecosystem will expand access to more authentic coaching experiences.

Connecting athletes with professional coaches who guide, motivate and inspire them to reach their goals," Garmin Co-COO Brad Trenkle said in a press release.

The paired announcements position Garmin to compete in wearable technology and in the training guidance that keeps athletes engaged after a workout ends.

It makes a stronger case that the next fitness race will be won with software as much as hardware.

WHOOP leads the screenless category on its coaching software, the same territory that Garmin just entered with TrainingPeaks and TrainHeroic.

Subscription-Free Fitness Tracking

Available as a wristband or armband, the Cirqa Smart Band tracks sleep, stress, heart rate variability, skin temperature, blood oxygen saturation, and VO2 max.

It also records workout activity across more than 80 exercise types.

The tracker also generates Garmin's Body Battery score, which estimates recovery and readiness using collected health data.

Unlike WHOOP, Cirqa does not require a subscription, giving consumers a lower long-term ownership cost with advanced recovery insights.

Garmin reinforced its hardware strategy with the training platform acquisitions.

Both platforms specialize in structured coaching, with professional coaches providing personalized training plans and performance analytics.

"For over a decade, we've worked together to democratize coaching and performance insights, helping millions of athletes reach their peak through data-driven, structured training," Andy Stephens, CEO of Peaksware Holdings, parent company of TrainingPeaks and TrainHeroic, shared.

The services have integrated with Garmin devices for years, making the acquisition a natural extension of an existing partnership.

These latest announcements suggest that wearable brands are competing to guide athletic performance as well as measure it.

Screenless Wearables Gain Ground

The Cirqa Smart Band arrives as minimalist trackers draw buyers who want health data without a screen.

IDC put global wearable shipments at 145.7 million units in Q1 2026, up 4.3% year over year.

IDC expects traditional wristbands to fall 6.8% in 2026, while screenless devices hold a durable niche, a split that favors the Circa Smart Band.

Garmin entered the wearable segment that's still gaining buyers at a time when sales of older wristbands are falling.

Garmin's latest announcements and launch reveal where the competition in wearable technology is heading.

• Hardware is becoming the entry point. Brands should connect devices to services that keep customers engaged to improve retention.
• Pricing influences platform adoption. Companies should reduce recurring cost barriers where possible to attract consumers comparing long-term costs.
• Data creates value only with context. Marketers should pair performance metrics with guidance to encourage repeat use and strengthen loyalty.

As wearable technology becomes more accessible, the brands that explain what the data means may gain a stronger advantage.

Our Take: Can Garmin Beat WHOOP Without Subscriptions?

Skipping subscription fees grabs attention, but Garmin's acquisition of TrainingPeaks and TrainHeroic explains the bigger strategy.

We see the hardware and software announcements as two parts of the same play:

• Lower the barrier to entry
• Strengthen the value users receive after they buy the device

The challenge will be preserving the openness that users expect from both platforms while integrating them more deeply into Garmin's products.

If this balance holds, Garmin could compete on the quality of coaching instead of asking customers to commit to another monthly payment.

Garmin isn't the only one making noise in this rivalry. WHOOP's recent Blood Work feature aged Cristiano Ronaldo 12 years younger than he is.

Looking to create connected products that integrate software and hardware seamlessly?

Explore these top wearable technology companies to develop platforms that keep users engaged over time.