Garmin should definitely reconsider how notifications work in iOS

I recently switched from the Apple Watch to the Garmin Fenix 7S Pro, and figuring out how notifications work has been frustrating. Even though I set some notifications to go to the scheduled summary in Notification Center. I still get them immediately, which is super annoying.

There’s a workaround where you can go to **Settings > Notifications** and uncheck “Notification Center” in the Alerts section, but honestly, it feels like a really clunky solution. It’s like Garmin didn’t think this through at all.

On top of that, changing notifications to show up on the Lock Screen aren’t ideal because messages on the Locked Screen as more urgent and they will light up your phone to grab your attention. Another thing: If you are in a hurry to unlock your phone without checking those messages on your locked screen, all those notification will be gone once you swipe up your screen. But Notifications in Notification Center will not go away unless you clear them. This is a huge difference. Notifications in the Notification Center are supposed to be more low-key and meant for checking later. But Garmin just mirrors everything from the Notification Center to the watch and completely ignoring features like the scheduled summary, which is supposed to send things at a specific time. Instead, everything shows up on the watch immediately, which is pretty distracting.

I am surprised that not a lot of people complained this…but these small but significant interaction details make me question sticking with Garmin over the Apple Watch, which handles these scenarios much more seamlessly.

 

  • I totally agree. What a mess. Even Fitbit allows you to select which iPhone notifications should alert you on your watch. 

  • And Garmin does it too.
    You need to set it on the application settings level on your mobile.

  • Yes, but that changes how your phone handles notifications. Withings and FitBit allow you to keep your iPhone notifications on your phone the way you want them and then let you INDEPENDENTLY set which notifications come to your watch. I know a bunch of iPhone users who left Garmin because of this oversight. It’s a shame because it’s so easily fixable on Garmin’s end.

  • Yes, but that changes how your phone handles notifications.

    Not a true.
    With settings below, it will show on your phone but not on the watch.

  • Yes, I'm aware. But again, that changes how the messages are delivered on your phone. In the settings you posted, "show previews" is set to never. In that setting . . . well, you don't see previews! They just come up as blank banners.

    Again, the point is, you should be able to have your notification settings on your iPhone the way you want them and simultaneously have different notification parameters on your Garmin. And again, this is something that other smartwatch/fitness watch companies do. I have a Withings Scanwatch and a Fitbit Versa, both of which just have a menu that allows you to select which apps you'd like to receive notifications from. 

  • In the settings you posted, "show previews" is set to never.

    You can set the Previews as you want. You only have to disable the "Notification Center" option in order to disable notifications of the concerned app going to the watch.

  • Yes, I'm aware. But, again, then you have changed your iPhone notification settings differently from what you'd chosen. I -- and many, many others -- want to be able to send certain notifications to the Notification Center of the iPhone but NOT to the watch. 

    Repeating myself, I know, but people keep replying with answers that involve changing the way the iPhone itself behaves. Other brands of watches allow the user to specifically select which apps they want notifications for. It's silly to ask the user to change their preferred iPhone notification options as a workaround for Garmin not bothering to write easy code to enable specificity of notifications. It is my understanding that they do, in fact, offer this option to Android users, so why not iPhone users? You'd think that they'd want to position thens

    When I'm I front of my computer later, I'll attach screenshots of Withings and Fitbits notification options.

  • It is my understanding that they do, in fact, offer this option to Android users, so why not iPhone users?

    Nobody here can tell you, but possibly because they found it redundant, letting the user too many confusing options. If you wish a change, then I recommend suggesting it to Garmin at Share Ideas | Garmin. If there are many similar requests, Garmin may reconsider the design.

  • Thanks. I will leave my feedback there -- I hadn't done that yet. I've read, though, that users have been leaving this feedback for years, so I doubt Garmin will change it, but who knows, maybe one more request will push them to finally do it.

    I really don't think it's a deliberate decision to limit the experience of the iPhone user. It's actually way simpler and more intuitive to have it notifications managed the way they have it designed for Android and the way Withings and FitBit have it for both Android and iPhone.