An interesting note with the advancement to SDK 1.3, http://developer.garmin.com/index.php/blog/post/connect-iq-2-biker-monkey Looks like soon the new features will no longer be able to be put on the FR235, we're only about 6 months away from Aikido end of support. Guess that'll become a factor when getting watches in the future... how far is the SDK support lifeline for the watch?
They're definitely not built to be future proof,In spite of the Connect‑IQ platform, these sports watches are not marketed or sold as general-purpose computing devices, and what the released models would (or promise to) do for their current and prospective buyers are known at the time the purchasing decisions are to be made.
$400++ is just too much to pay for something so quickly obsoleted.People are still buying Garmin watches that are superseded models, e.g. the Forerunner‑225, going by what we read in the relevant sections in this forum. If you sell your old watches when you upgrade, then it won't be at a net cost of ≥$400 to you. Isn't that a viable approach if money matters more than one's toy collection? (For what it's worth, I am myself pretty bad at disposing of old gear while it still retains some resale value, and all my old mobile handsets, tablets and laptops that haven't been broken are still here. Some have been re-purposed, and others just collecting dust.)
This is kind of a new thing for Garmin, so really, the answer is "who knows".
I don't personally see it as a huge deal, this isn't an iOS issue where it will negatively impact the core functionality of the device if you can't upgrade. We might miss out on some neat homebrewed stuff by the middle of 2017 or so, but I don't personally mind.
I do find it bizarre just how little flash and RAM they're putting into these watches, though. They're definitely not built to be future proof, that's for sure, and I'm not gonna advance beyond the 2xx line until Garmin stops dropping full support for these things yearly. $400++ is just too much to pay for something so quickly obsoleted. They really need to adopt an Apple-like lifecycle to get me to drop that kind of cash.
I do find it bizarre just how little flash and RAM they're putting into these watches, though. They're definitely not built to be future proof, that's for sure, and I'm not gonna advance beyond the 2xx line until Garmin stops dropping full support for these things yearly. $400++ is just too much to pay for something so quickly obsoleted. They really need to adopt an Apple-like lifecycle to get me to drop that kind of cash.
I couldn't agree more. I would have gladly paid the extra $10-$25 for a bit more growth potential. I won't be buying a new watch until this one dies, they just are too expensive to toss away.
Garmin is saying that the CIQ 1.3 VM has and end off life, but that doesn't mean CIQ DEVELOPERS do too! (at least I hope not! :) )
You'll get support for things in CIQ.... It just means that the firmware won't add new stuff the developers might want to do....
"Jim, I'm a CIQ developer, and not a smug pickle" (old star trek reference, I'm sorry! :) )
In spite of the Connect‑IQ platform, these sports watches are not marketed or sold as general-purpose computing devices, and what the released models would (or promise to) do for their current and prospective buyers are known at the time the purchasing decisions are to be made.
If you take ‘future proof’ to mean there will be post-sale increases in the value proposition and/or feature set of a model (that offer the manufacturer little or no commercial return in investing to deliver), I don't see why it ought to be the design intent.
People are still buying Garmin watches that are superseded models, e.g. the Forerunner‑225, going by what we read in the relevant sections in this forum. If you sell your old watches when you upgrade, then it won't be at a net cost of ≥$400 to you. Isn't that a viable approach if money matters more than one's toy collection? (For what it's worth, I am myself pretty bad at disposing of old gear while it still retains some resale value, and all my old mobile handsets, tablets and laptops that haven't been broken are still here. Some have been re-purposed, and others just collecting dust.)
