Garmin Smartwatch Users Can Now Make Calls and Send Texts Through WhatsApp

If you have a Garmin smartwatch, you can now text and make calls via WhatsApp. Garmin announced on Tuesday that WhatsApp is now available as a free download from its Connect IQ store. The Meta-owned app will be available for select Garmin Fenix, Forerunner, Venus, and Vívoactive smartwatches. This integration makes WhatsApp the only third-party messaging app available on Garmin smartwatches.

Garmin is one of top fitness tracker manufacturers among the runners and for sleep tracking. CNET recently tested a group of smartwatches to see which one is the most accurate, and the Garmin Venu 4 took home the award highest honor for elite-level heart rate tracking on Android phones.

“By combining a global messaging brand like WhatsApp with select Garmin smartwatches, we’re giving customers another meaningful way to stay connected whether they’re training, exploring, or just on the go,” Susan Lyman, Garmin vice president of consumer sales and marketing, said in a statement.

Garmin smartwatch users will be able to read and reply to messages with the built-in keyboard on their watch screen, view incoming calls and accept or reject them, and view their chat history for up to 10 messages.

The Kansas-based company uses end-to-end encryption to protect messages shared through the device.