Garmin CIRQA adds vibration alerts for calls and texts in latest update

Screenless fitness trackers are becoming increasingly popular and some of that is owed to them not being a constant distraction like smartwatches are. The Fitbit Air, WHOOP, and the like remain firmly fitness-focused and don’t notify wearers about incoming phone calls and text messages on their phones. Garmin’s CIRQA Smart Band was the same, but the company just reversed course with its version 4.20 update.

Listed in the changelog for the firmware update from version 3.0 to 4.0 is “Support vibration for smart notifications/incoming calls” (via Gadgets & Wearables). However, the FAQ page for CIRQA still claims, “The CIRQA smart band does not vibrate for text messages, phone calls, or other smartphone notifications.”

There’s been some clamor for this feature on the Garmin forums going back a few months, including from a CIRQA user who said that it would be a useful aid with their hearing issues. Garmin posted a reply in the forum along with a link to its ideas form. “If that is something you’d like to see in the future, either in new products or software, please submit your request here so it can be considered for possible use,” it wrote.

Whether the plan to include vibration for notifications was in place by then or not, the response to its inclusion with the update has been positive on the Garmin subreddit. As one user said, “I was missing this. And missing calls and texts. I keep my phone on silent. I tried to go back to having ringer on but I hated that more than missing the calls.”

The notifications aren’t the only new addition to the CIRQA with the update. Garmin also added run/walk detection for Trail Run activity; the ability to calibrate distance for Treadmill Run/Indoor Rowing/Indoor Cycling before saving the activity on device; and the Live Activity screen in Garmin Connect can now show heart rate before recording begins.