Garmin Ltd. occupies a distinctive position in hardware: its devices accompany users on the road, at sea, in the air and during sporting activities. Domiciled in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, the company maintains a substantial operational presence in the United States, particularly in Olathe, Kansas. Its offering combines sensors, mapping, satellite navigation and software, with a focus on reliability and battery life in situations where a smartphone is not always enough.
American origins, a Swiss domicile
Garmin was founded in 1989 by Gary Burrell and Min Kao, two engineers whose first names inspired the brand. The company initially developed GPS-based equipment, particularly for marine and aviation navigation. It then benefited from the spread of this technology among consumers, with handheld devices followed by automotive navigation units that became an important part of its business.
However, the arrival of free smartphone navigation changed the outlook for standalone automotive GPS devices. Garmin gradually expanded its portfolio, particularly in sports watches and specialized equipment. Listed on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol GRMN, the group established its domicile in Switzerland in 2010. This legal base therefore does not fully reflect its industrial footprint, which remains international.
A portfolio organized around use cases
In sports, Forerunner and fēnix watches sit alongside Edge cycling computers and Approach golf equipment. These products track activity, help users navigate and provide training or recovery metrics. The Garmin Connect platform allows users to view their data, track their progress and share selected activities. These features are primarily intended for fitness tracking and wellness, rather than medical diagnosis.
The group also develops flight instruments for aviation, as well as chartplotters, sonar devices and autopilots for boating. In the automotive sector, it supplies equipment for drivers and solutions for vehicle manufacturers. The inReach devices complement this range with satellite communication and alert features, available depending on the model and subscription.
Garmin also stands out for its industrial integration: the company handles a significant share of its products’ design and manufacturing. This structure fosters coordination between electronics, embedded software and services, while requiring ongoing investment in production capacity and engineering.
What next?
For Garmin, the challenge is to defend the value of specialized devices against general-purpose smartwatches and smartphones. Battery life, measurement accuracy, mapping quality and durability are key areas of differentiation. The development of connected services also opens up opportunities, but increases cybersecurity and personal data protection requirements. The ability to evolve these services without compromising ease of use will be as decisive as hardware upgrades.