The Garmin rival to Fitbit Air could cost five times as much

I screenless fitness trackers are gaining notable traction among enthusiasts. If, for over a decade, the company WHOOP has maintained an almost undisputed primacy in this niche, today the major wearable tech brands are sharpening their weapons to capture market share.

The recent unveiling of Fitbit Air by Google fully confirmed this trend: a device focused exclusively on continuous monitoring, lacking a display, and powered by a battery life capable of covering up to an entire week of uninterrupted use.

Now, rumors are turning the spotlight on Garmin, ready to enter this category with a proposal that is already stirring debate.

An advanced but very expensive fitness tracker, is Garmin going too far?

According to leaked information from the price list of an Ukrainian retailer, the American giant known for its high-end sports watches would be preparing the launch of a new device named Garmin Cirqa.

In perfect coherence with the aesthetics of display-less trackers, this model focuses on extremely sober lines and a usage centered on passive monitoring of vital parameters. The bracelet features a compact and lightweight fabric strap, designed to fit the wrist discreetly throughout the day, from training sessions to resting hours.

The emerged specifications indicate that the Garmin Cirqa will be marketed in two variants, classified as Small/Medium and Large/Extra-Large, also offering a choice between two traditional colors: black and gray.

On the functionality front, the sensor promises to continuously register heart rate, sleep quality and various stages, total steps, calories burned, and a number of other metrics related to the user’s physiology. These are measurements that allow athletes to gather accurate data without the distraction of continuous notifications from a screen.

The gap with the competition

The most discussed element arising from this leak concerns the product’s potential market positioning. Data published by the e-commerce site indicate a cost of 22,399 Ukrainian hryvnias. Quick conversion shows this amounts to almost 500 euros.

If that amount is confirmed at launch, the Garmin Cirqa would instantly stand as the most expensive screenless fitness tracker currently on the market, marking a clear and surprising gap versus rival alternatives.

The newly arriving Fitbit Air is offered on shelves at a base price of around 100 euros, to which users can add an optional subscription to the Google Health Premium service. On the other hand, Whoop adopts a different approach, based entirely on subscription: annual plans vary between 199 and 399 euros, a figure that includes both the software platform and the actual hardware.

It is evident that, reaching the 500 euro threshold for the initial purchase alone, Garmin’s proposal would be at a spending level of about five times that required by Google for the hardware of its Fitbit Air.

Awaiting official confirmations

We should of course proceed with caution, as these are preliminary information not yet endorsed by the parent company.

Pricing strategies can undergo significant changes before a global official launch. Additionally, the currency fluctuations, along with the import and taxation dynamics of the Ukrainian market, could yield a slightly skewed picture compared to the costs that will later be applied in the United States or elsewhere in Europe.

However, the leak strongly suggests a bold move: Garmin could aim without hesitation for an absolute premium positioning for its first tracker.

The company relies on a historically very loyal user base, accustomed to investing substantial sums for reliability, durability of materials and the analytical precision typical of the Garmin Connect platform. It remains to be seen whether this same clientele will be willing to shell out such a high amount for an accessory designed to operate quietly in the background.