Strava has launched a legal battle against Garmin, claiming that Garmin’s Live Segments, heatmaps, and popularity routing infringe on Strava’s patents and breach a Master Cooperation Agreement established in 2015 between the two parties. The lawsuit, submitted on September 30 in the U.S. District Court in Colorado, asserts that Garmin’s implementation of these features inflicts “ongoing harm” on Strava. Strava possesses patents from 2011 for activity segments and from 2013 for heatmaps, which it contends Garmin has violated. The 2015 agreement permitted Strava Live Segments on Garmin devices but reportedly did not authorize Garmin to independently replicate these functionalities.
Strava is pursuing a permanent injunction to bar Garmin from marketing devices that utilize these contested technologies, highlighting “irreparable harm” to its brand. The disputed features are found on Garmin’s premium watches, including the Fenix 8, Forerunner 970, and Venu X1, along with its Edge bike computers. Garmin’s heatmaps and Trendline Popularity routing are also being examined, with Strava alleging these violate its patents.
Strava’s lawsuit does not seek to hinder Garmin users’ ability to synchronize data with Strava, but it marks a significant action against an essential partner. Garmin has refrained from commenting on the legal proceedings. The case underscores the friction between Strava and Garmin, with Strava accusing Garmin of analyzing and replicating its features. The result of this legal contention could affect the availability of specific features on Garmin devices if Strava’s injunction is successful. Strava’s initiative coincides with its plans for an IPO, valued at $2.2 billion, and represents its efforts to safeguard its intellectual property amid competitive challenges.
