Garmin CIRQA: Certification reveals disappointing detail about Whoop alternative

After Garmin CIRQA was already spotted in the code of the Garmin Connect app and at a retailer in May, a Garmin wearable with the model number A0P3039 has now been certified by the Integrated Regulatory Information System (IRIS) in Singapore. According to the5krunner this is the long-awaited wristband from Garmin.

The certification reveals one new detail in particular, namely the fact that Garmin CIRQA transmits exclusively via Bluetooth. Because neither Ant+ nor GPS are listed under "Equipment Description", as is the case with Garmin smartwatches, Garmin CIRQA apparently does without Wi-Fi, a cellular modem and a GPS module. This means that the wristband is inevitably dependent on a smartphone within Bluetooth range if, for example, the distance covered while running or cycling is to be recorded.

This is not unusual for this product category – Polar Loop, Whoop 5.0 and Fitibt Air ($99 on Amazon) also don't offer a GPS module, but Garmin is missing an opportunity to differentiate itself from the competition. According to earlier rumors, Garmin CIRQA could be marketed primarily to users of a Garmin smartwatch, as those who wear a smartwatch on one wrist and CIRQA on the other should benefit from more precise workout tracking and, above all, from significantly more reliable automatic workout recognition. It is not yet known whether Garmin CIRQA can record other data apart from a heart rate and SpO2 sensor and motion sensors.