Wearable Programming for the Active Lifestyle

Chapter 2. The Connect IQ Platform

Connect IQ is a platform for third-party apps that run on Garmin devices. If you’re developing a system that runs on the wearable device, either working with existing data fields or talking to an entirely new accessory that you are developing, you’ll start with Connect IQ. There are several different things you can create with Connect IQ:

Watch faces

These aren’t just a pretty picture to look at, but they can be that, too. You can create custom watch faces for your company or organization. But you can also incorporate data into a watch face, and display progress toward specific goals the user has set.

Data fields

As described in Chapter 1, these are data points that can be incorporated elsewhere into the Connect IQ platform full circle. A data field can come from a sensor accessory that you manufacture, or could be derived from other data fields.

Widgets

These are mini apps that appear as users scroll through the carousel of widgets installed on their device. Widgets provide at-a-glance information but can also communicate with phone apps and web services, and also can pull in activity, location, and sensor data.

Device apps

These are a full-blown interactive experience for the user. They can be apps that start and stop activity tracking, or interactive apps for collecting, viewing, or manipulating information the user is interested in.

Garmin follows what it describes as a “purpose-built device strategy” where the company creates devices ...