Working around clock face limitations

I am limited to creating a clock face for the Garmin Swim 2. There are severe limitations on what you can do in a watch face, which makes perfect sense because it is always on and draining the battery can be a real problem.

One thought I had was to embed slowly changing data in the clock face application itself. This will only work if updates are installed automatically when syncing with the phone. I would also have to automate the publishing of the clock face app.

How do clock face application updates get installed on the watch?

Thanks

0 jim_m_58 over 3 years ago

That's a CIQ 1 devices, and there are many things not available that are on other devices (1hz seconds, background services, more than 8 colors, small screen size and very limited app memory.

It's an MIP display with is typically better battery wise than a AMOLED display.

I wouldn't count on users installing updates even if you automate building them.

0 pluck308 over 3 years ago in reply to jim_m_58

I would have a VERY small audience, maybe 20 in total. If there was a way for users to configure their watches to automatically install updates, that might work. Requiring these 20 users to configure their devices specifically for this app might be okay.

Can Garmin Swim 2 users configure their watch and phone to automatically install updates?

Thanks again, Jim.

0 jim_m_58 over 3 years ago in reply to pluck308

The default is that users get updates. By way of Garmin Express or the Connect IQ Mobile App. The thing is users might not use GE or use it that often, and The mobile app needs to be opened to get the update, and it can be a bit touchy as to when the get installed.

0 pluck308 over 3 years ago in reply to jim_m_58

My take is this is a really stupid idea for a large user base where I might have to explain to 100 users a day why they aren't getting updates, but for my limited audience it might be okay.

I do not know of any other way to distribute slowly changing data to the clock face app, so it is either this workaround or nothing.

Thanks for your help.

0 jim_m_58 over 3 years ago in reply to pluck308

On CIQ 1 devices it's not that easy. But on devices that support background services, you can pull down data. It can even check if there is new data is available using a makeWebRequest.