Strava, a leading fitness tracking platform, has filed a lawsuit against Garmin, accusing the tech company of patent infringement related to features in its devices and app. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court of Colorado on September 30, 2025, is demanding a halt to the sale of most of Garmin’s fitness watches, cycling computers, and the Garmin Connect platform.

Background of the Lawsuit

The core of Strava’s lawsuit revolves around two patents that it claims Garmin violated: one for “Segments” and another for “Heatmaps.”

Segments Patent: The “Segments” feature on Strava allows athletes to compare their performance on specific routes over time. Strava filed for this patent in 2011 and received approval in 2015. Garmin, however, introduced a similar feature—Garmin Segments—on its Edge 1000 bike computer in 2014, well before Strava and Garmin signed a Master Cooperation Agreement (MCA) in 2015. This agreement allowed Garmin to integrate Strava’s Live Segments into its devices. Strava now claims that Garmin went beyond this agreement, developing and releasing its own segment functionality, which allegedly infringes on Strava’s patents.

Heatmaps Patent: Strava also holds patents for the heatmap feature, which displays popular activity routes based on user data. Garmin implemented a similar feature in its Garmin Connect app, which Strava claims violated the patents granted between 2014 and 2016.

Strava’s complaint also highlights damages suffered due to this alleged infringement, citing “lost revenue and business opportunities, erosion of competitive differentiation, and harm to goodwill.” In addition, Strava accuses Garmin of breaking the Master Cooperation Agreement, which it claims allowed Garmin only limited rights to use Strava’s technology.

The Legal Demands and Potential Impact

Strava is seeking a permanent injunction that would prohibit Garmin from selling devices with segments or heatmaps functionalities. This includes popular devices like the Garmin Edge cycling computers, Forerunner, Fenix, and Epix watches. The company insists that “monetary relief alone is inadequate,” stressing the need for a complete ban on Garmin’s relevant products.

The lawsuit’s impact could be significant. Garmin and Strava have long been partners, with deep integrations between their platforms. Strava’s annual reports show that Garmin’s devices, including the Forerunner 235, are among the most used among its global user base. A ban on Garmin devices would affect not only Garmin’s business but could also disrupt Strava’s user experience, given how intertwined the two companies have become.

A Surprising Conflict Between Partners

The lawsuit is especially surprising given the long-standing relationship between Strava and Garmin. The two companies have worked together closely for nearly a decade, with Garmin devices providing seamless integration with Strava’s platform. Strava’s spokesperson, Brian Bell, stated that Garmin used its limited access to Strava’s technology to “carefully study” the segments feature and subsequently develop a very similar one for their own devices.

Adding another layer of complexity to the case is Garmin’s recently announced new API partner rules in July 2025. These rules require third-party data attribution, which Strava described as “hidden advertising,” expressing its disagreement with the new terms.

Garmin’s Response

Garmin has declined to comment on the lawsuit, stating that it “does not comment on pending litigation.” However, many industry analysts believe the case’s outcome is uncertain. They note that some of Garmin’s segment and heatmap features existed prior to the approval of Strava’s patents, which could complicate Strava’s claims.

Conclusion

This lawsuit not only highlights the growing tensions between two major players in the fitness tech industry but also raises important questions about intellectual property rights, cooperation agreements, and the evolving dynamics of tech partnerships. Only time will tell how this legal battle will affect the future of both Strava and Garmin, and whether other tech companies might follow suit.