- Garmin published his new subscription service in March
- It turned out to be extremely unpopular to users
- Strangely, the CEO Cliff Pemble says that the answer has been positive and says that the company will probably reserve premium features for it in the future
Garmin claims that the response to his Connect + subscription service “has been positive”, but it is also allowed to be heard in the future where premium features are reserved behind the paid wall, in what is likely to be considered as a blow to loyal users.
During his recent appeal for the first quarter of 2025, Garmin announced a profit of $ 1.54 billion, up 11% over one year and a record of $ 330 million in operating profits.
Naturally, questions and concerns were around the impact of prices on Garmin’s affairs. However, CEO Cliff Pempe also discussed the launch of its controversial service Garmin Connect +, with some news that users of the best Garmin devices did not want to hear.
In the first Q&R, Pemble was asked about Garmin’s decision to launch Connect + when it did, given the previous reservations of the company on the invoicing of its customers for more features.
“I think we have been saying for some time that we assess the opportunities to have a premium offer on Garmin Connect,” replied Pemble. “I think that the developments of the AI and in particular around information based on AI for our users were one of those things which, in our opinion, were important to recognize the value of the investment it takes to do.”
He added that “we had the impression that it was the right time”, and echoed the previous feelings that Connect + is not a requirement for users, and that the company has not removed any previously free feature of users.
A positive response?
Pemble said that the response to Connect + “was positive”, despite the general outcry of users on the principle of a subscription service and specific complaints concerning the extremely thin connect + offer currently gives users.
The information active in intelligence, in particular, is terribly basic, and mocking it has become something of a sport on the subcontract of Garmin.
By the way, Pempe also dropped a very quiet bomb. Noting the wide range of features available for users today, he said: “Some, we will probably reserve for premium offers”. It is the clearest confirmation to date that Garmin plans to introduce future premium features in its range which will only be accessible to Garmin Connect +subscribers.
The news is a double -edged sword, of course. Garmin is in part partly because the Connect + offer is not fantastic, so adding more features is a key element in product improvement. However, this means that certain features are not accessible to users who do not pay, a fact that goes to the heart of the reason why Garmin users seem so opposed to a subscription service in principle.
The worst fears of Garmin users, that an increasing subscription service will possibly see more and more features hidden behind a payment wall, are quickly realized.
It is not such a burden if you have spent a relatively small sum on a Garmin Forerunner 55, but for those who spent the best part of $ 1,000 / £ 1,000 on a Fenix 8 hoping for Garmin’s most premium experience, this could prove to be a bitter pill to swallow.
You can read the gains call transcription or listen to a recording on YouTube. Pempest’s Connect + remarks are from 19 minutes and 40 seconds.
