Garmin: Powering Innovations in Wearable Space

Driven by its capability to weave innovation with in-house research & development and production capacity – Garmin has created its very own special place in the wearables market today.  

Ali Rizvi, National Sales Manager Garmin India interacts with Zia Askari from TelecomDrive.com about the company’s innovation strategy and how it is looking at the Indian market.

Please share some of the big priorities that Garmin has for its Indian operations today?

Globally, India is one of the largest consumer markets. Approx.  45% of its population is under the age of 25. It is our constant endeavor to connect with our existing and prospective customers. We also make an effort to associate with prominent running and cycling clubs to educate them about Garmin’s product line which will help them enjoy their sport and enhance their performance. Garmin aims to bring world-class sports and active wear products to the Indian market.

Today there are a lot of players vying for the Indian wearables and activity tracker market - how is Garmin different? 

From the very beginning, Garmin received a positive and exciting response from the Indian market. Garmin provides such an ecosystem which assists, aids, and inspires our users to lead an active lifestyle and keep fit. Garmin helps the users monitor their steps, sleep, calories burnt, and much more. It is more than an activity tracker; it is a coach and motivator. Our selected range comes with features such as Built-in GPS, GLONASS, Built-in Sports Profile, Fitness Age, Stress Monitoring, Yoga, Training Load, VO2Max, and more.

How big would be the wearable + personal tracker market opportunity in India? What is your market share today?  

The wearable + personal tracker market in India is on a steady rise. People today are much more conscious about what they eat and their fitness. Garmin is globally well known for fitness wearables as we provide our audience with cutting-edge technology. Activewear and personal trackers are taking a new shape and gradually becoming more classy, stylish, and advanced.

Garmin products offer a wide range of features such as GPS, stress tracking, heart rate monitoring with Elevate technology, sleep tracking, activity measurement, and calorie tracking besides tracking steps taken. Country’s young fitness conscious working-class population is our primary buyers and we aim to offer them high-end products at the most competitive prices.

What kind of product innovations can we expect from Garmin in the coming months? 

Our Fenix 5 Plus Series which is our upcoming product would bring in premium multi-sports wrist-based pulse sensor, which allows the users to monitor their blood oxygen saturation and show the fitness-enhancing effects of their workout. It comes with advanced features such as Elevate wrist heart rate technology, performance metrics, built-in activity profiles, and training status readings. Also, smart notifications help the user stay in touch on the go. The quick fit bands let the user customize the look according to their lifestyle or activity. The Device would also Feature a Built-In Music App with Storage Space to Load Songs and Data.

How do you look at the fast-changing landscape of wearable devices today? How can vendors keep pace with changing technologies and advancements? 

Garmin enjoys an advantage as compared to its competitors in the Indian market through the power of vertical integration, which its specialization and expertise in GPS technology. Our in-house R&D and Production with minimal defect ratio allow us to take up any upcoming macro or micro technological challenges head-on.

What are some of the challenges that you are facing in the Indian market? How do you plan to overcome these challenges? 

India has a huge millennial population – they keep up with global technology and have a growing interest in healthy lifestyle. There is an influx of activity tracker and smartwatches in the Indian market, but we at Garmin only aim to offer the most superior quality products to our end users. It is our constant endeavor to educate the Indian audiences about our features and technologies to help them make a smart choice.