OLATHE, KAN.—On Wednesday, GPS technology giant Garmin announced a new platform that will change the game for third-party developers looking to get into the wearable space.
While developers won’t be able to gain access to the hardware until 2015, Garmin’s newly launched Connect IQ platform will open up the company’s technology to third-party developers looking to create apps for Garmin wearables.
“As an early mover in the wearables market, we are excited to open up the Garmin platform to third-party developers,” Garmin’s vice president of business development Dawn Iddings said in a release. “Connect IQ will leverage our growing portfolio of wearables and serve as catalyst for growth as customers and developers are able to customize our devices to reflect their unique personalities and needs.”
Connect IQ will allow developers to utilize Garmin features like its GPS technology, mapping capabilities, connectivity and hardware durability, according to the release.
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While a number of Garmin’s APIs—like its wellness and fleet management API—will be available to approved developers free of charge, others range from $500 to $5,000 to license. Garmin’s wearable hardware is not yet equipped to support Connect IQ, but developer preview materials currently are available online.
