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Garmin Smartphone Link app for iPhone and iPad


4.4 ( 784 ratings )
Travel Navigation
Developer: Garmin
Free
Current version: 2.9.8, last update: 4 years ago
First release : 18 Mar 2013
App size: 35.39 Mb

Smartphone Link works with select Bluetooth® enabled Garmin navigation devices, including most products from the following product categories:

• Garmin Drive™, Garmin DriveSmart™, Garmin DriveAssist™, Garmin DriveLuxe™ automotive navigators
• Garmin RV and Camper navigators
• zūmo motorcycle navigators
• dēzl lorry navigators
• some nüvi automotive navigators (3597/3598/2x17/2x18/2x97/2x98/2x67/2x68/2577)

Check garmin.com/spl for a detailed list of compatible Garmin devices.

Some models require a software update, available at garmin.com/express

Smartphone Link allows you to connect a compatible Garmin navigator and your iPhone®. Once linked, the compatible Garmin navigator uses your existing mobile data plan[1] to share information with your iPhone, including contacts, search results, favourite locations, your driving destination and even your parking spot. With Smartphone Link, your compatible Garmin navigator can also access Garmin Live Services[2] for useful, real-time driving information.

What Are Garmin Live Services?

Garmin Live Services provide the most up-to-date "live" information to your Garmin navigator using your existing mobile data plan. Theres no need for an additional data connection. Some services are included when you connect to Smartphone Link. Other services within the app are available through optional paid subscriptions offering premium content and enhanced features. To receive data relevant to your location, Garmin Live Services require that your current GPS location be shared with Garmin and Garmin partners.

Included Live Services:

• Address sharing - Send locations and online search results from your phone to your compatible Garmin navigator and navigate there

• Garmin Live Traffic
Avoid delays and find detours with the best-in-class real-time information. Garmin Live Traffic is updated every minute and receives more than 1000 messages every update cycle

• Live Parking[3]
Save time and take the stress out of parking. View helpful parking information, including pricing and availability trends for on-street public parking, as you approach your destination.

• Weather - View forecasts and current conditions

• Last Mile - Remembers your parking spot and shows your destination, so you can find your way on foot and back again

Premium Live Services, available for a one-time[4] purchase within the app, include:

• photoLive traffic cameras[2]
Look up live photos from over 10,000 traffic cameras to see traffic and weather conditions

• Advanced Weather[2]
View detailed forecasts, current conditions and animated radar images, plus receive severe weather alerts

• Dynamic Off-Street Parking[2]
Find parking close to your destination, including the number of spots available and current cost


[1] Contact your mobile service provider for more information about your service plans data and roaming rates.
[2] Restrictions apply. Not available in all areas. Subscriptions required.
[3] Parking data is available for most town centres. For coverage details, visit Parkopedia.com.
[4] See https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=111441 for terms, conditions and limitations.

Note: Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.

Pros and cons of Garmin Smartphone Link app for iPhone and iPad

Garmin Smartphone Link app good for

Maybe they updated it to work better, or its a test for newbs or astroturfers, but it works fine on my iPhone 5s and NuviCam. It is made mainly to access advanced, paid, traffic and weather services, which you may not need, but it also works with find my parking space on your phone. RTFM
Great app, super convenient, BUT unless you enter an address in your contact, and lunch it from there, the address search is LIMITED to nearby locations only...
Got this to communicate between the Garmin and my iPhone. It was able to connect somewhat easily to the phone over several tries, and once I saved an address/name on the phone app, I could send it to my "saved" list on the Garmin. Im impressed.
Last week, called Garmin customer service and complained that traffic was not connecting with my nuvi 2699lmthd. Today updated the gps with the latest map and updated the iOS app. Looks like the gps app menu was updated and everything is working. It was up for 15 minutes and no Bluetooth disconnects.
1/19/17: Finally, live traffic issues now fixed. Need to manually launch and/or force close and re-open app if it doesnt connect automatically or you walk away from car and return while gps is on. Also sometimes helps to launch the app and click on live traffic to pull in the data. Seems to be quicker than letting it do it on its own in the background. Not perfect but now much better with bug fixes. Thanks Garmin! 1/16/17: Updated to latest version and its still garbage. Minor update but love traffic still not working on Drive Smart series. Waits for traffic data and only works sporadically. Quality control is taking a nose dive! Atrocious Garmin 1/7/17: THEY BROKE LIVE TRAFFIC WOTH LATEST UPDATE. They made live traffic a free service now but its worse than ever. Doesnt pull on traffic or display traffic on DriveSmart series hardly at all now. No wonder its free. Should have left it. Its even worse than it was. Dont they test these updates properly? What a mess Garmin. UPDATE 7/29/16: Working better with the DriveSmart series. Occasionally you have to disable Bluetooth in the gps and then re-enable if you have issues. UPDATE 1/22/16: This app is good when it works but usually after several times of use, it fails to automatically reconnect to the GPS and you have to turn Bluetooth services off on your nüvi and then turn them back on which is extremely frustrating. Occasionally, you even have to repair it with the phone and this is happened on multiple iPhones Ive used. Also, the map quality on the app itself is atrocious. It only shows major routes and you have to zoom way into even see anything. They need to update the resolution map quality to be more in line with Google maps or Apple Maps. UPDATE 9/16/15: A mess after iOS 9! Garmin has not updated the app and now its horrible. Blank white tabs that are unreadable. Also crashing on voice entry when searching. Please fix asap!! Garmin says a fix is in works but may be too little too late. Needs work but traffic is the most valuable feature and provides better coverage than the FM traffic receiver on the unit
This version of Smart Link has enabled the traffic feature for free (instead of $20) and seems much more stable

Some bad moments

This application really looks out dated. They updated some icons and thats it. Come on...
Once my Garmin starts up, it connects for a short time and then suddenly disconnects. It then never connects again until i shut down and start up my gps. Manitoba also has alot of constructions happening where ever you turn and the smartlink doesnt have that on its live traffic reports except one out of a billion in the city.
Update: After latest update now Bluetooth connects but app cant connect to services. ****** Perhaps if you bought a $100 GPS you can justify the $28 traffic plan, then the photo live plan etc etc. But the 3 plans to complete the traffic view is too expensive after I just spent $500 on a nuviCam. Then theres the issue that Bluetooth keeps dropping connection from my latest iPhone to the latest nuviCam model. Good idea for this app, why not cripple the included traffic plan that comes with most Garmin GPS traffic receiver purchases then suggest to owners that they need to spend a minimum of another $30 and own a smartphone to get more accurate traffic data. Wait, Waze is free and proven to be more accurate. Hint, hint.
Was working fine till latest update. Now cant connect via Bluetooth
Would be so much better if it had a better search engine. Cant find any location that is searched. Should be more then just nearby searches...
This app will work great for a while until an update comes along and then it stops working. During those versions that it works its awesome. Invaluable. However, most of the time it doesnt work and it takes Garmin a long time to fix it. Its currently not working. Deeply frustrating.

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