Garmin's Connect IQ store gets an 'enormous influx' of submissions, and it's likely down to AI slop

Date:
Tue, 20 Oct 2026 11:48:27 +0000

Description:
Garmin has a Connect IQ problem as an 'enormous influx' of apps and watch faces hit the store.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Garmin's Connect IQ store has seen an 'enormous influx' of new submissions These include apps and watch faces, and are causing a big backlog as developers struggle to get their submissions reviewed It's likely AI is to blame, as the sudden wave of submissions 'was never a problem in the past' If you wear one of the best Garmin watches , you might have used the Garmin Connect IQ store to download an app like Spotify or Komoot, a new free or paid watch face (even a Pokmon-branded one ), or a fun community-made complication like the Walk with Frodo app . However, downloading stuff from the Connect IQ store in future
may involve sifting through thousands of low-quality, AI-generated submissions.

Watch face and app developers are complaining on Garmin's forums about delays in submission review: while the process typically takes 1-2 days, according
to some devs , the process is now taking up to 13 days. Garmin Connect IQ moderator/representative Brandon posted directly to one thread , stating: "This is not due to a bug we have gotten an enormous influx of app submissions in the last month, with no signs of slowing down, and are working through approvals as quickly as we can. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here:

"This was never a problem in the past, except perhaps delays because of a
long holiday weekend (e.g. Christmas)." (Image credit: Future) The fact this glut of submissions is a sudden problem or new phenomenon points to one thing only AI. Garmin Connect IQ has likely been flooded with vibe-coded or AI-generated products designed to make a quick buck by flooding the digital marketplace. You may like This Garmin feature is killing users battery life heres how to disable it The Garmin Cirqa and Garmin's TrainingPeaks acquisition could have a connection Garmin investigates disappearing workouts issue hitting Cirqa owners

One Garmin user said in response to Brandon: "You need to limit the upload frequency for each developer; those poorly made AI-generated watch faces will consume everything."

Another said: "I have observed this trend worsening significantly as well.
The Connect IQ Store is increasingly flooded with low-effort, repetitive submissions that hurt discoverability, degrade user trust, and crowd out well-crafted apps." Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.
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While this is bad for developers (who get charged $100 annually to sell apps on the Connect IQ store) it's also bad for Garmin users. We'll now have to wade through a sea of AI slop watch faces in order to get to faces and apps created the old-fashioned way with human-led, thought-out complications developed and designed by real Garmin users.

It's just one more example of digital merchants being reduced to dealing with an avalanche of AI slop submissions, just like other app stores, and almost every other breed of online storefronts for digital products. We reported as far back as 2023 that AI-generated e-books were flooding Kindle Unlimited, making it difficult for users to find new books, and the problem has only gotten worse with time. The same will likely happen to the Connect IQ store.

I've reached out to Garmin for comment on the situation, and will update this article if I get any response. In the meantime, if you're a Connect IQ user and you've noticed the change, let us know in the comments below. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Todays best Garmin deals Garmin
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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/health-fitness/fitness-trackers/poorly-made-ai-gener ated-watch-faces-will-consume-everything-garmins-connect-iq-store-has-been-hit -by-an-enormous-influx-of-submissions-and-garmin-users-could-soon-be-grappling -with-a-wave-of-ai-slop


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