Strava Takes Legal Action Against Garmin: The Battle Over Segments and Heatmaps Could Impact Your Favorite Devices

Strava has taken legal action against Garmin, focusing on two main features: Segments and heatmaps. The lawsuit, filed on September 30 in a Colorado court, alleges that Garmin is violating Strava’s patents.

Strava’s patent for its Segments feature was filed in 2011 and granted in 2015. This technology allows users to compare their performance on specific GPS segments over time. Garmin introduced a similar feature, Segments, in 2014 with its Edge 1000 bike computer and expanded it to other devices later that year. They initially partnered with Strava under a Master Cooperation Agreement, which stated that they would not display both Strava and Garmin Segments simultaneously.

However, Strava claims that Garmin exceeded the boundaries of this agreement by studying the Strava implementation and creating their own version, effectively competing with Strava.

The second part of the lawsuit concerns heatmap functionality. Strava references two patents regarding maps showing user activity data, filed in 2014 and 2016. Interestingly, Garmin had similar heatmap features in place as early as 2013. Experts suggest that Garmin may argue the validity of Strava’s patent in court, potentially leading to it being invalidated.

Strava claims these patent infringements have resulted in significant damages, including lost revenue and harm to its brand. The dispute intensified earlier this year when Strava’s changes to its API disrupted third-party apps like Garmin. Garmin criticized Strava for how it used user data for AI training.

Strava is seeking a permanent injunction to halt the sale of Garmin devices with Segments and heatmap features, impacting most of Garmin’s smartwatches and cycling computers. Despite the lawsuit, Strava stated it does not want to hinder Garmin users from syncing their data and hopes Garmin will also prioritize their shared users.

This legal battle reflects broader tensions in the tech industry, where companies often grapple with issues of innovation and collaboration. For example, a recent survey found that 62% of users want clearer communication and agreements between companies when they collaborate on technology. As this case unfolds, it could set important precedents about intellectual property and partnership agreements in the tech field.



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