According to Forbes, Garmin has launched what is likely its most substantial software update since introducing Connect+, adding full nutrition tracking. The new feature, found in the Garmin Connect app’s Health Stats, allows users to log food, track macros like protein and carbs, and monitor daily calorie goals. It uses a global food database and offers logging via barcode scan, manual search, or AI-powered image recognition using a phone camera. The catch is that it’s exclusively available to subscribers of Connect+, the $6.99 per month service Garmin rolled out in March 2025. While a list of compatible watches isn’t fully detailed, it’s confirmed to be on the Garmin Forerunner 970. As part of the launch, Garmin is offering a 14-day Connect+ trial to previous trial users and a 30-day trial to completely new users.
The Real Strategy Here
Look, the feature itself isn’t revolutionary. If you’ve used MyFitnessPal, this will feel very familiar. But here’s the thing: that’s not the point. Garmin isn’t trying to beat dedicated nutrition apps at their own game. They’re doing something smarter—they’re building a walled garden. For years, Garmin has been the king of hardware, selling you a fantastic watch that collects a ton of data. Now, with Connect+, they’re monetizing the interpretation and integration of that data. It’s a classic ecosystem lock-in move. Why go to another app when your Garmin can now connect your late-night pizza directly to your poor sleep score and suggest you cut it out? That’s powerful. And it makes that $6.99 monthly fee start to seem more “essential” for the serious user who wants the full picture.
The User Experience Trade-Off
So, is it worth it? For the casual runner or hiker, probably not. Manually logging food is a chore, and doing it on a watch screen sounds… tedious. But Garmin’s implementation seems thoughtful. The AI image recognition could be a game-changer if it works well—just snap a pic of your lunch. And having your macro allowances sync directly to your watch face is a clever bit of passive feedback. You’re checking the time and, oh, you’ve only got 20g of carbs left for the day. That’s the kind of seamless integration other platforms can’t easily replicate. But it all hinges on that database being comprehensive. If you’re constantly manually entering obscure foods, the novelty will wear off fast.
A Broader Industry Shift
This isn’t just a Garmin story. It’s part of a massive shift across the entire tech landscape. Hardware is becoming a conduit for recurring software revenue. Your phone, your car, your watch—they’re all becoming platforms for subscriptions. Garmin’s move validates that even in the fitness hardware space, the one-time sale isn’t enough anymore. They need that predictable monthly income. And honestly, compared to some software subscriptions, $6.99 a month for a suite of advanced analytics, training plans, and now nutrition isn’t outrageous. But it does create a tiered system. You’re either a free user with basic stats, or a paid subscriber getting the “full” Garmin experience. That’s the new normal, whether we like it or not.
