Originally Posted by
Seattle Forrest
There are 3 ways Garmin computers and watches can get to the internet: Bluetooth to go through your phone's data connection, wifi, and LTE. LTE is what phones use. Having LTE in a Garmin means you don't need your phone with you to use the features you mentioned. But you need a data plan for your Garmin.
Yes, brain freeze. LTE is the newer cell communication. I was thinking of BLE the BlueTooth low power connection. In theory Garmin would have had to make the 1040 (and the replacements for the 830 and 530) use LTE and essentially become cell phones to use cell data ?. They might have had to go the Hammerhead route and allow a SIM card to do that and I'm glad they didnt as I have a Karoo 2 and its a pain in the arse to get the SIM card and get it working. The method Garmin uses of using BT to the phone Connect Mobile app is a much easier system to use in my experience, as long as you keep GCM running in the background. One advantage is the device connects regardless of whether you have an LTE phone, 4G phone, whatever. You can upgrade your phone and never worry about will whatever version of cell data the cell companies movento next, be compatible with my LTE cycling computer.