A Garmin Trademark Filing Hints at a New Whoop-Like Wearable

As more and more people adopt an analog lifestyle, favoring offline experiences that take them off their devices, it seems that technology is following suit.

On March 31, Google hinted that it would release a new laptop without screen reminding fitness trackers like the Oops 5.0known for his knowledge in recovery, and the Luna Bandwhich uses your voice to track your health. By foregoing screens, you can view your data only in the apps that come with wearable devices, which can be a game-changer for those who have them. health anxiety or anyone tired of looking at screens.

Now it looks like Garmin is joining the screen-free party.

On Thursday, news and reviews site Gadgets and Wearables reported that Garmin filed a trademark for a device called Cirqa on Feb. 25 with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

The trademark filing describes Cirqa as non-medical, non-therapeutic wearable devices and instruments that use electronic sensors and monitors to measure and analyze the body’s biosignals and behavior. Specifically, Cirqa would collect data on recovery from physical and emotional stress, alertness levels and human performance.

With a focus on recovery and performance, Cirqa is a lot like the Whoop health tracker.

In its filing, Garmin also describes Cirqa as a data storage and sending instrument, which could mean that it doesn’t display that data itself and instead relies on an app, as with other screenless wearables.

A Garmin representative declined to comment, saying it was against company policy to comment on rumored or unannounced products.

Oops: an accidental leak

This is not the first time that the Cirqa system has made the news. In January, Garmin accidentally launched a Cirqa smartband product page and accompanying support pages, which have since been removed. However, screenshots are still available on Reddit.

The leaked product was spotted in Garmin online stores in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Chile. The bracelet was presented in two colors, black and French gray, and in two sizes, small-medium and large-extra large. One of the aforementioned Reddit screenshots shows these as wrist sizes.

The page included an “Add to Cart” option with the warning that shipping would begin in four to five months, meaning it would launch in May or June.

The Garmin Cirqa trial look

While there have been no leaks showing what Cirqa will sound like, based on current lawsuits, it is unlikely to resemble the band Whoop.

On October 14, Whoop filed a trademark infringement suit against Polar Electro Oy, the maker of the screenless Polar Loop, a health and fitness tracking bracelet. Polar told MobiHealthNews that he denied the claim that his Loop copied the look of the group Whoop. On Friday, Polar filed a formal response to Whoop’s complaint.

But that wasn’t the last time Whoop lashed out at would-be copycats. On January 22, Whoop filed another trademark infringement lawsuit against Nexxbase Technologies, maker of the Luna Band. Nexxbase Technologies has until May 19 to respond to the complaint.

Right now, Garmin has its own Index Sleep Monitor, a smart armband worn on the upper arm that tracks breathing, recovery, women’s health, and other body metrics while you sleep. So maybe Cirqa will just shift this technology to the bottom with 24/7 health information.

Based on the ship date listed on Garmin’s leaked product page, we might have the answers to all of our questions in a month or two.