Third-Party App Ideas - Recent Threads

Tennis and table tennis activities

Former Member — Sun, 22 Mar 2015 05:42:41 GMT

Hi there,
Apps for these two activities will be quite popular in my opinion. Using indoor running app Vivoactive logged only 16o cals for 1:30 mins table tennis where as Fitbit Surge logged in for similar time about 350 cals. Similar discrepancies with tennis between Surge and Vivoactive.

RE: Tennis and table tennis activities

Multipassionate — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 08:00:55 GMT

For the tennis half of this thread: I also made Tennis Smash, a Connect IQ app that keeps tennis score (points, games, sets, deuce or No-Ad, tie-breaks) and saves the match to Garmin Connect with the set scores and the points won on serve and on return. It runs on the fenix 5 Plus, fenix 6 and more than 100 other Garmin watches. If stroke recognition is what you're after, Tennis AI (mentioned above) does that. Tennis Smash keeps the score instead, and I built it to stay one press per point while covering the standard rules, which I think is the right balance for most players. Store: https://apps.garmin.com/apps/7d673782-5db4-4115-bb30-20248596b21b

RE: Padel

Multipassionate — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 01:24:21 GMT

For anyone who lands here looking for a padel app: most current Garmins now have Garmin's own Padel activity, but it records time and heart rate, not the score. For the score, you need an app from the Connect IQ Store.

On the vivoactive 4 question: Padel Smash runs on it, scored with taps or swipes. The vivoactive 4 has no Padel activity of its own, so there the match is saved as a generic activity named Padel.

What it does:

- Normal padel with Star Point, Silver Point, Golden Point or unlimited deuces, switchable mid-match, plus tie-breaks and 9-game pro sets

- Mexicano and Americano rounds, with the total points for the session at the end

- A mini court showing who serves and from which side, and undo for the last 15 points

- Saves the match to Garmin Connect with the set scores and the points won on serve and on return

- An optional live scoreboard: switch on Live Broadcast in the app's settings (it is off by default) and friends can follow at padelsmash.app, where their phone reads the score aloud

What it does not do: detect shots or points by itself. You press once after each point. It is paid, with a full refund if you ask within 24 hours, and it only runs on Garmin watches.

Which watches: https://padelsmash.app/help/watch/supported-watches

Store: https://apps.garmin.com/apps/c9449f59-dbe3-4059-b567-a9e873f34daf

Disclosure: I am the developer of Padel Smash.

Padel

4237644 — Sat, 25 Sep 2021 10:11:08 GMT

Is it possible to add PADEL in the set of sports?

RE: Tennis and table tennis activities

Multipassionate — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 07:56:27 GMT

For anyone who lands here looking for a table tennis app: I built one, Ping Pong Smash.

You keep score by hand, one press per rally: games to 11, 21 or a custom target, with the serve changing every 2 or 5 points
Undo, and a match history on the watch
Saves to Garmin Connect with your heart rate and every game score
Friends can follow the score live in a browser at pingpongsmash.app, and hear it read aloud

It doesn't detect strokes. On the calories question in the first post, here's what a wrist sensor can and can't measure in table tennis: https://pingpongsmash.app/guides/heart-rate-calories-table-tennis

Store: https://apps.garmin.com/apps/25c6c1b1-b88f-4f33-bd53-ea54d596ea6b

RE: Is there an app planned for the freestyle libre 3 - glucose monitoring ??

6221869 — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 13:38:44 GMT

Since yesterday, there is a Garmin watch app that connects directly with a Libre 3 sensor.

https://apps.garmin.com/apps/44d1b2ed-bb3d-4b14-a6cf-e52544207f6c

It is a modification of Kerfstok that already displayed glucose values received by Juggluco from the sensor. Juggluco 11.2.0 or higher now can transfer the connection to Libre 3 Kerfstok so you don't need to take your phone with you. In Juggluco it is configured in left menu->Watch->Kerfstok status: www.juggluco.nl/.../kerfstok.html

Is there an app planned for the freestyle libre 3 - glucose monitoring ??

8148884 — Fri, 23 Dec 2022 07:44:21 GMT

The new sensor from Abbott works via Bluetooth, so real-time monitoring would probably be easy to implement - is there anything planned here?

Thanks

Frank

Add Blood Pressure Data Field / Complication Support for Connect IQ

9279970 — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 14:26:44 GMT

Please enable API support and native watch complications for Blood Pressure readings (systolic/diastolic/pulse) logged in Garmin Connect (via Index BPM or manual input).

Currently, users cannot view their logged blood pressure history or latest readings directly on Connect IQ watch faces (such as on the Epix Pro / Fenix series), unlike other health metrics like Hydration or Body Battery. Having a dedicated Glance or Connect IQ complication for Blood Pressure would greatly improve daily health tracking directly from the wrist.

thank you so much

AI Coach for Real-Time Adaptive Training Plans

7796462 — Sat, 09 May 2026 07:22:27 GMT

Hi everyone,

I have built a website CoachX.run because I’m tired of "static" training plans.

We’ve all been there: you miss a session, and Garmin Coach just ignores it. The built-in workouts can feel repetitive, and manually creating complex workouts in the app is a total pain. Without a pre-set workout, you’re stuck constantly checking your watch, trying to remember your intervals and current progress.

CoachX changes that. The goal is to create and modify your training plans through real-time conversation. It’s designed to be:

Flexible: If you miss a day or feel off, the plan adapts instantly.
Diverse: No more cookie-cutter workouts.
Seamless: It acts like a real coach, so you don't have to spend time manually building workouts or memorizing reps.

Would this solve a pain point for you? I'd love to hear how you currently handle missed sessions or "boring" plans!

RE: AI Coach for Real-Time Adaptive Training Plans

5171496 — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 07:11:03 GMT

like that a lot

RE: Best Connect IQ architecture for expedition app using Edge 1040 and Enduro 3?

dpawlyk — Sat, 19 Sep 2026 15:04:09 GMT

[quote userid="2460361" url="~/developer/connect-iq/f/app-ideas/443272/best-connect-iq-architecture-for-expedition-app-using-edge-1040-and-enduro-3"]I’m developing a private, non-commercial expedition support app that will be used during a long-distance cycling trip.[/quote]

Why?

Many people do these sorts of things without writing an app.

That is, it seems like a lot of work for unspecified/unnecessary benefit.

Best Connect IQ architecture for expedition app using Edge 1040 and Enduro 3?

2301349 — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 19:27:36 GMT

I’m developing a private, non-commercial expedition support app that will be used during a long-distance cycling trip. The app is not for sale and is being built primarily for my own use during the expedition. For context, my 134lb service dog Juno are riding a recumbent tricycle from Calais, Maine to the Florida Keys to raise money for Wounded Warrior and raise awareness for service dogs in general.

My Garmin hardware includes:

Edge 1040
Enduro 3
Garmin power-meter pedals
Garmin Varia RCT715

The broader app handles route planning, ride data, readiness/recovery information, field notes, and expedition logistics. I’m trying to determine what can be done directly through Connect IQ while the Garmin Connect Developer Program is not accepting new applications.

The main things I’d like to understand are:

On-device data access
- What cycling and sensor data can a Connect IQ app or data field access directly on the Edge 1040?
- Can power, cadence, heart rate, speed, GPS, and similar data be read in real time?
- Can the Enduro 3 expose useful physiological or activity data directly to a Connect IQ app, or is most of that only available later through Garmin Connect?
Communication with an external app
- What is the recommended way for a Connect IQ app/data field to receive messages or data from an external iPhone/iPad app or web backend?
- Is Garmin Connect Mobile/BLE the preferred bridge?
- Can a Connect IQ app make web requests through Garmin Connect Mobile to a remote API?
Alerts and ride guidance
- Can a Connect IQ app or data field display custom expedition alerts or guidance on the Edge 1040 while navigating?
- For example, messages generated by the external app such as pacing guidance, upcoming resupply information, weather-related warnings, or similar contextual alerts.
Sending data outward
- Can a Connect IQ app send selected real-time or near-real-time ride information back to an external application or backend?
- If so, what architecture is recommended?
Courses/navigation
- Without Garmin Connect Developer Program access, is there any supported Connect IQ mechanism for loading or updating routes/courses on an Edge 1040, or does that require the Garmin Connect Courses API?
Recommended app type
- For this use case, would Garmin recommend a data field, device app, background service, or some combination?

I’m not looking for a workaround around Garmin’s developer policies. I want to build this using Garmin-supported methods and would appreciate guidance on the cleanest architecture that can be implemented now with Connect IQ.

Any examples, SDK references, or pointers to existing sample projects would be very helpful.

Thank you.

Mark

Challenges

Jan1377ski — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 14:06:07 GMT

Hallo zusammen, warum gibt es bei Garmin nur die Möglichkeit auf maximal 4 verschiedene Challenges? Garmin bietet so viele verschiedene Aktivitäten an, warum dann nicht auch passende Challenges, in denen ich gegen meine Freunde antreten kann? Warum ist das nur auf Laufen, Gehen, Fahrrad fahren und schwimmen begrenzt? Sportliche Grüße

Add Cold-plunge to Activities List

ptuffner — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 22:03:02 GMT

Can you (Garmin) add "Cold-Plunge" to the Create Manual Activity under Activity Type under the Gym and Fitness category? Variables for user to enter should be water temperature and duration of cold-plunge.

RE: Add Cold-plunge to Activities List

4525319 — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 21:16:33 GMT

Connect IQ developers can't add new activity types, but you can get most of the way there with an app. I ended up building one, because I wanted my contrast sessions to land in Connect properly rather than as a stopwatch on the bench.

It records water temperature, duration and heart rate, and saves as a real activity that syncs on to Strava like anything else. Contrast rounds save as laps so the whole cycle shows up rather than one block.

The bit that actually needed solving was the timing. You can't see or hear a watch with your wrist under water, so every transition is a buzz pattern you can tell apart by feel. And between rounds it waits for you rather than starting the next timer — getting out of a barrel and into a sauna takes as long as it takes.

apps.garmin.com/.../805c0f49-e594-4df3-8993-652db7870251 if it's useful. Happy to answer anything.

BT Remote Control for Triggering Lap Button

4780780 — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 13:29:57 GMT

Does anyone know how I might go about creating a third-party BT remote for Garmin Instinct / Fenix watches that triggers the lap button?

RE: Best Connect IQ architecture for expedition app using Edge 1040 and Enduro 3?

crispgarmin — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 14:14:05 GMT

[quote userid="2460361" url="~/developer/connect-iq/f/app-ideas/443272/best-connect-iq-architecture-for-expedition-app-using-edge-1040-and-enduro-3/2059504"]

Specifically, I’m trying to determine whether Connect IQ can support things such as:

receiving contextual information or alerts generated by the external app and displaying them on the Edge 1040 during a ride
sending selected near-real-time ride/sensor information from Garmin hardware back to the external application or backend
accessing enough on-device data to make that interaction useful without waiting for a post-activity Garmin Connect sync
understanding whether a data field, device app, background process, or combination is the appropriate CIQ architecture for that communication
determining what route/course functionality, if any, is possible without access to the currently paused Garmin Connect Developer Program

[/quote]

Hi, to add to the conversation...
#1 - an app can make a background request poll -- makeWebRequest() -- or JSON request -- for data at most every 5 minutes, then popup a toast, for example, or put in an app communications history page to scroll through. That would be nice to receive supporter messages

#2 - an app would just use makeWebRequest() to send location / speed etc whatever your backend API supports

#3 - plenty data, especially if you are actively recording an activity - https://developer.garmin.com/connect-iq/api-docs/Toybox/Activity/Info.html

#4 - both datafields and apps support background processes - you have more flexibity.screens with an app but a datafield page fits in the rest of the in-activity fields (like maps) better without dropping out to home page apps (assume you are on something like an Edge 1040/1050)

#5 - the big hurdle... answer is "none" - other than a vague next waypoint. Various people (including me) develop workarounds for routes on devices that don't support extensive route integration or maps. Maybe one day!

All the best for what sounds like a tough but amazing trip -- Crisp

RE: Best Connect IQ architecture for expedition app using Edge 1040 and Enduro 3?

flocsy🤠 — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 06:43:15 GMT

I think this is it: github.com/.../wormnav

RE: Best Connect IQ architecture for expedition app using Edge 1040 and Enduro 3?

flocsy🤠 — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 06:42:03 GMT

Once I played with a CIQ app + Android Companion app I found on GitHub. I can't find it now, but maybe you will or something similar. That one was a navigation app, you could send a route from the phone to the watch and then follow it using only the watch. It has most of the non standard features you want: send a route, communication between phone and watch.

One thing I'd be worried about is he length of the sessions. Even though Enduro 3 has a big battery, using a watch app as opposed to a data field will use more battery.

You can also try doing it as a datafield. Both devices you have can send http requests from a datafield from the foreground app so you should be able to send data to a website or even poll data from there.

RE: Best Connect IQ architecture for expedition app using Edge 1040 and Enduro 3?

2301349 — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:05:45 GMT

Thanks for the response. I may not have explained the use case clearly enough.

I’m not primarily looking for another way to display standard Garmin ride metrics. I agree that existing data fields already cover a lot of things like power, cadence, heart rate, speed, etc.

The part I’m trying to solve is the integration between Garmin hardware and an external expedition application that is already being developed.

Specifically, I’m trying to determine whether Connect IQ can support things such as:

receiving contextual information or alerts generated by the external app and displaying them on the Edge 1040 during a ride
sending selected near-real-time ride/sensor information from Garmin hardware back to the external application or backend
accessing enough on-device data to make that interaction useful without waiting for a post-activity Garmin Connect sync
understanding whether a data field, device app, background process, or combination is the appropriate CIQ architecture for that communication
determining what route/course functionality, if any, is possible without access to the currently paused Garmin Connect Developer Program

So the project is not really “build a custom Garmin screen for one rider.” Garmin is one component of a larger application that handles expedition planning, logistics, readiness, route information, and other functions outside the Garmin device.

This is also intended to be field-tested during the expedition rather than discarded afterward, so I’m trying to understand the supported architecture before deciding what portion is worth implementing in Connect IQ.

If existing Connect IQ apps already demonstrate two-way communication with an external mobile app or web service in the way I’m describing, I would definitely appreciate pointers to them. That could save a great deal of unnecessary development.

Thanks again.

RE: Best Connect IQ architecture for expedition app using Edge 1040 and Enduro 3?

flocsy🤠 — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 20:47:25 GMT

I think most if not all of this is already available. Search for datafields and apps in the store. Things that they can display/record are available for CIQ apps. I'm not sure creating an app for this event is worth the effort for 1 user. I'd try using existing datafields (the advantage is that you can then use multiple apps, to get all the functionality you want). In theory you could make an app (watch-app) that does all this, but it'll take you longer to code than the whole trip.

RE: Freediving/Spearfishing app

kociubin — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 22:10:20 GMT

Take a look at this app. It's free and does exactly what you're asking:

https://in-depth.app/

Freediving/Spearfishing app

Former Member — Thu, 05 Jul 2018 08:40:25 GMT

Gidday guys!
Im not very tech savvy but I’m hoping someone can help me out. I would like freediving/spearfishing app made. All it needs is a stop watch for when you dive to tell how long you have been down, a “breath up” timer aka twice the time you dived, and a depth dive metre to tell how deep you dived. I’m currently running a Fenix 5x. Can anyone help me?
cheers!

RE: App idea: Tracking for metal detectorists

5406532 — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 13:52:04 GMT

apps.garmin.com/.../9461e184-037e-47d8-ba2b-b83f4c15f546

App idea: Tracking for metal detectorists

Former Member — Mon, 22 May 2017 14:02:01 GMT

Hi.

I use my Fenix 5 for tracking fields when i'm out with my metal detector. I have made an custom activity based on "Track Me" and export it to basecamp but there is still some limitations. There are thousands og relic hunter like myself out there and and there is some app for mobile phones (like Tect O Trak) but it would be excellent to have the tracking on the wrist.

Some features would have been nice:

- Track the route i'm walking but autostop the tracking when I stop (just track every 5 meters or so. I have this feature on my eTrex GPS)
- Save the track with custom name
- The possibility to continue tracking based on saved track (earlier tracking).
- Add Waypoint in same app with possibility to give it custom name.
- "Alarm" if you walk in the same track as earlier (if possible).
- Datafields: Used time, distance, position, count of waypoints added.
- See the track (trails?) like dwMap

And of course that I can see my tracking in Garmin Connect app/web as an activity.

Maybe others have some additional request as well :-)

Best regards

Asle Øynes