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Active Internet Connection *Should not be a requirement* for Garmin Connect

3691894
over 3 years ago

I bought the Garmin Instinct Solar recently because it was marketed and 'designed' for the outdoors. After a couple of days I've figured out that the main app - Garmin Connect - does not work offline. But the outdoors often doesn't have proper signal if at all. Heck I don't even sleep with my phone connected to the internet as I don't like receiving messages at night. 

- I can't access my previous activities to view and read.

- So I can't upload or access the full SPO data without being connected to the internet which has baffled me. So this will be almost useless in the mountains where it would have the most benefit??? I've potentially wasted my money then (as I have to consider returning it).*

- I know there are other Garmin apps but you can't expect people to download a myriad of different applications. I don't want a basecamp or explore app using up my phone space when I don't need it. Moreover, if I go on an expedition I still want to look at the whole data and not bits of it. I'm more than happy to sacrifice a GB of space on my phone to keep the records offline also if this is one of the issues.

My Samsung Health app doesn't need to be connected to show me previous activity and it's extremely basic. I moved to Garmin because I wanted more than a health app. I wanted an outdoor sports app that I could use without being connected to the phone all the time.

Honestly, what on earth is this about? Surely Garmin would have figured out many of us don't like this set up (I've seen the other posts)? At least give us the option to use it in offline mode otherwise this isn't an outdoors sports application/watch??

*Edited: To reword the SPO complaint. I initially thought I couldn't record the SPO data without internet connection which appeared to be the case but I've re-tested it.

  • 0 over 3 years ago

    So allow me to summarize.  You willing to "sacrifice a GB of space on my phone to keep the records offline" but not willing to have the "explore app using up my phone space when I don't need it." despite the fact that Explore does most if not all of what you want?

    If you are truly after an "outdoors" watch and you don't have Explore installed, then you're missing out. I can't comment on the exact functionality with the Instinct, but being able to download free maps for most of the world, view maps, routes, previous tracks, etc, and even tap somewhere on a map and then click "Navigate" and have my watch start navigating me towards that point is brilliant functionality - and it works 100% offline (except downloading maps, obviously).

    And the price?  Well ironically, according to my phone, Explore is currently using 0.99 GB of space - that's for several years worth of tracks, dozens of routes and waypoints, and multiple types of maps covering several states.  I suspect that doesn't include the app itself, so I guess it doesn't meet your requirement of only being a GB... Sorry... Disappointed

  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to docau

    So it's perfectly okay not to be able to access the other non-navigation functions when offline?

    I don't need the Explore app 80% of the time. I live in a massive city where if I take a wrong turn I usually know my way back or can figure it out. Most of my regular outdoor activities don't need me to stare at pre-installed (monochrome) maps. And when navigation is required, it's often off track from a regular runner's way (yes, I know I can plan it, but that has limited use in certain environments), vertical, or on the sea/water. Having a watch that I can use to return somewhere safely and keeping on track is pretty helpful but not the primary objective most of the time.

    I can install and uninstall apps as I need including Explore. But if the main app cannot be accessed offline which has all the useful functions for everything I would need at least 80% of the time, it's not useful for the outdoors. Passive-aggressive answers are unappreciated and Garmin *is* falling flat on this. There should at least be a choice to use Garmin Connect offline.

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to 3691894

    Running into this tonight.  Garmin connect cannot reach the servers, so I cannot set an alarm on my Vivoactive4.

    Now why do I need internet to send an alarm to my device via Bluetooth?

    This is a poor showing by Garmin.

    It is one thing to need the server for updates.  It’s totally unneeded to set an alarm 

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to uniballer

    Garmin's just leaving it like this because they care more about their social media garbage and data collection than a functional device. It honestly enrages me every time I run into the problem in the outdoors. I don't bring the device anymore and I will not purchase another through Garmin unless this is fixed. I'm also going to tell every person who asks about devices about this issue. I'm in the army. The devices are pretty popular but I'm telling my troops it's not allowed and if I'm ever the Sgt major, I'm banning it regimental as well. 

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to uniballer
    uniballer said:
    Now why do I need internet to send an alarm to my device via Bluetooth?

    I am not familiar with Vivoactive 4, but on my Instinct 2 I can change any settings, including alarms directly on the watch, without the need of any Internet connection, and I'd bet it is in the same way with most (if not all) other Garmin devices as well.

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to trux

    And I can set an alarm with the watch as well.  The iPhone app interface is a bit easier to do so, so I was trying during an apparent Garmin outage.  There is no need to "contact the mothership" to set an alarm via the app.

    You prove my point here.  If I can set an alarm on the watch without the Internet, why not via the app without the Internet?

    I could see needing Internet access if I was getting map information, or downloading updates or additional widgets, and so on.  But to set an alarm?  Hardly seems necessary to contact Garmin.  

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to uniballer

    Personally I find it much quicker setting up an alarm directly on the watch, than pulling out the phone, opening the app, browsing through the settings, and changing it there. On the watch, I press the hot key for the time function, scroll to the alarm, change it, and it is done much quicker. The alarm is really the last thing I would complain about.

    However, I agree that some functions could and should be available offline too. The forum won't help you with it, though - rather submit the request at Share Ideas | Garmin and hope a sufficient number of other users will ask for it too, so that Garmin considers implementing it.