Connect IQ™ Store 12+

So first off let me begin by saying if you’re a first time user of Garmin Watches the bar and standard are constantly improving with each consistent iteration of watch/generation AND! software update(s) even for prior generations of watches. The User Interface (UI) is rich and beautiful without being overly clunky or bloated with unnecessary features and extra taps/scrolls that bog down your experience. The snapshots and the summaries are all relatively concise and cleanly presented. While I’m an Apple user for all things EXCEPT their watch, I am most pleasantly surprised and pleased with my decision to purchase the Garmin TACTIX line of watches, especially the AMOLED editions! If you are on the fence about purchasing a smartwatch and the daunting overwhelming features usually forced down your throat you cannot go wrong with choosing Garmin for its simplicity AND enduring battery life that doesn’t tether you to an outlet like most things “smart” or Apple.

First off, let’s be clear, this isn’t an app but rather a digital torture device. You’d think an app from a multi-billion dollar company would be at least marginally better than one built by Jerry and Cleetus in the shed behind their mom’s house, but you’d be wrong. The first problem is the constant trouble syncing. Over and over you’ll get the little red circle with an exclamation point, and despite doing everything from hitting retry to reinstalling the app it’ll keep happening. Now whether it’s actually struggling to sync or just claiming to be struggling to sync I can’t say. Even when I receive the error icon I can still send data back to my phone, so who knows, maybe it’s syncing maybe it’s not. Secondly, the IQ App Store will not display apps it doesn’t believe are compatible with your device, even if they claim to be, and if you round about find the apps you want by using your browser it won’t let you download them. In my case I have an Edge Explore unit which should be compatible with the Bontrager light control app according to the compatible device listing on the app data page, but the IQ App Store disagrees, and insists I add a compatible device to my account to download the app. This leads to my last gripe; good luck getting support. Garmin is more than happy to take your 200, 300, 500 dollars, but they’re sluggish in assisting you with getting it or this required app to work.

This app worked well for a few months. I was able to install and customize apps and watch faces on my Garmin Venu SQ. Then, today, for no apparent reason it just stopped working. When I start the app, it goes to the “Welcome” screen, asking me to read the EULA, as if it were the first time I’ve used it. I go through that, and get to the settings screen for my watch face, but when I ‘Save’ my changes I’m immediately taken right back to the Welcome screen. (And, of course, my changes are not saved or applied to my watch.) I’ve rebooted my watch AND my phone, updated my Garmin apps, uninstalled and reinstalled the apps, and even deleted and reconnected my device. No change. I’m really regretting my Garmin purchase at this point (and I’ll definely warn anyone who asks to steer clear of their watches).
UPDATE: This app continues to be horrible. Things seemed to be working fine, then one day my watch wouldn’t connect to my phone. Nothing worked, so I restarted my watch. Now, although I previously had several watch faces installed and configured just how I wanted them, this app now says I have 0 watch faces installed. Yep, they’re all GONE. And I can’t find any way to get them back.
Nice work, Garmin - top notch product you have here.