[caption id="attachment_100454" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Garmin Elevate 5 Sensor on Forerunner 970[/caption] Garmin Elevate 6 - How Garmin will increase the accuracy of wellness sensors. Garmin's Elevate 4, first seen on the Venu 2 (April 2021), was superseded by Elevate 5 on the Fenix 7 Pro (May 2023). Based on historical release timing alone, we might expect our first glimpse of Elevate Gen 6 on the Fenix 8 Pro between September 2025 and January 2026 - the likely timeframe for a Garmin LTE-enabled Fenix launch. There are no leaks yet from Garmin on what Elevate 6 might be capable of. This article looks at gaps in Gen 5's capabilities that can certainly be filled using methods employed by competitors, plus it considers a 2024 patent filing (2025 published), first reported on the Gadgets and Wareables site. Garmin's Latest Patent Garmin Patent Application US 2025/0134464 A1 A recently published 2024 patent filing by Garmin indicates potential new development in the next generation of their Elevate optical heart rate (OHR) sensor. The patent highlights a straightforward method to improve the accuracy of existing wellness data and the potential to detect new physiological signals. The Problem The LEDs on our watches' heart rate sensors detect changes in blood volume to infer heart rate. Differently coloured LEDs penetrate the skin and lower layers with varying characteristics, and then reflect off molecules in different ways, enabling the sensor, for example, to detect SpO2. Movements like the pounding of your feet when running or the flexing of your wrist during racket sports conspire to add further measurement difficulties. An additional factor is the tightness of your watch on the skin. The pressure exerted changes the characteristics of the measurements just mentioned. This pressure can come from the tightness of the watch on your skin or periodic changes in pressure as you move. Garmin's Solution Garmin seeks to measure pressure. It does this by examining changes to the light characteristics of the baseline signal (general light absorption at any given time) in comparison to the blood volume fluctuations in each heartbeat. These two measurements are continuously assessed to produce a Pressure Compensation Factor (PCF). This factor is used to adjust the raw data, removing the effect of pressure and thereby increasing accuracy. [Simplified, see the patent for precise details] So What? TL;DR - Simply a more accurate sensor in all key areas. Whilst not a Eureka moment, this does represent the opportunity for the company to improve the accuracy of its sensor, which, although market-leading, still suffers from inaccuracies in many circumstances. Theoretically, improvements in accuracy are possible across several types of reading: High motion activities, leading to more accurate HR Cleaner and more accurate HRV readings at rest, which impact many Garmin algorithms, such as readiness. Improved SpO2 and respiration estimates when sleeping or when at altitude Anything Else? A: Yes, the patent also includes novel methods to assess blood glucose levels. More specifically, Glycated Haemoglobin (HbA1c) This new method makes the foundational PPG signal data sufficiently reliable for calculating Glycated Haemoglobin (HbA1c) over a 2-3 month timeframe. HbA1c indicates a person's blood glucose (sugar) levels and is suitable for those with pre-diabetes to monitor trends—an ideal companion to invasive spot checks performed periodically by a doctor. Any device claiming to measure HbA1c requires FDA approval. However, it is possible that Garmin could incorporate its abilities into a consumer-grade product, provided no claim is made to measure it directly, no diagnostic capabilities are inferred, and what is offered by Garmin is deemed 'low risk'. A general trend chart may be allowable, as seen with other metrics from wearable brands like Apple (irregular heartbeats) and Whoop (blood pressure trends during sleep). A successfully implemented HbA1c trend feature would be sought after by larger numbers of people and would be highly profitable for Garmin. Other Technical & Market Opportunities for Elevate 6 This table presents my research into the capabilities of the optical sensors of key wearable brands. The information on patents is incomplete and might restrict some innovation by Garmin in certain areas. It is technically feasible for Garmin to add Blood Pressure Trend, Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) for stress detection, Sleep Apnea, irregular rhythms, and HbA1c (blood sugar) monitoring. Feature/Brand Apple Garmin Samsung Huawei Google Whoop Heart Rate (HR) Continuous Continuous Continuous Continuous Continuous Continuous SpO2 (Blood Oxygen) On-demand and Periodic background On-demand and Periodic background On-demand and Periodic background On-demand and Periodic background Sleep-only Periodic background ECG 30-second AFib readings 30-second AFib readings 30-second AFib readings 30-second AFib readings 30-second AFib readings 30-second AFib readings HRV (Heart Rate Variability) Periodic Background tracking Tracked during sleep, periodic in the day Tracked during sleep, periodic in the day Tracked during sleep, periodic in the day Tracked during sleep, periodic in the day Continuous HbA1c - Patent - - - - Blood Pressure Trend - Opportunity Requires cuff calibration via an inflatable cuff - Daily estimates, requires cuff calibration AFib (Atrial Fibrillation) Active ECG, passive irregular rhythm notifications Active ECG, Opportunity Active ECG, passive irregular rhythm Active ECG, passive irregular rhythm Active ECG, passive irregular rhythm notifications Active ECG, passive irregular rhythm notifications GSR (Galvanic Skin Response) - Opportunity - - via continuous EDA - Skin Temperature Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes VO2max Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Sleep Apnea Yes Sleep Disturbances Opportunity - - Yes - Menstrual Cycle Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Respiratory Rate During sleep Yes During sleep During sleep During sleep During sleep Table may contain errors: data simplified, AI Fact checked To evaluate those gaps and opportunities, I would say this: I would dismiss GSR. It has the least commercial payback. I haven't included HRV during exercise in the table, which can be challenging for optical sensors to determine accurately. Even then, the data would only be inter-beat data (like R-R) and not a high-resolution ECG analysis of the waveform of each beat. Chest straps can give that information, but few sports brands provide much data in that area (Fourth Frontier is an interesting example - other interbeat periods can be analysed and the slope f the waveform also has further meaning) Blood pressure trends and blood glucose trends (HbA1c) are key metrics that offer a significant market opportunity; however, they are seldom or never implemented by some brands because they are challenging to achieve. The patent we've discussed shows that garmin is considering blood glucose trend monitoring. Patent Filing & Timing It is undoubtedly true that companies file patents early to protect their inventions. The filing of a patent does not guarantee that it will ever become a real product. For example, Garmin is one of the few companies to file a patent for SOLAR+AMOLED, but we have not seen a product with that capability since its publication in 2022. That said, Garmin needs to continually innovate its tech to give us a reason to upgrade. Even increased accuracy would drive revenues. Take Out Garmin’s Elevate 5 sensor is already among the most accurate optical heart rate sensors available, though it still has room for improvement. Over the past few years, Garmin has made solid progress in smart and wellness features, but its core strength remains in sports. This is where the company must innovate. Future opportunities also lie in expanding into Healthspan-related metrics and integrating more medically aligned sensors. So, what could Elevate 6 realistically target? Sports: Improved accuracy is always a goal. However, deeper physiological insights—especially during intense training—may increasingly rely on ECG chest straps rather than optical sensors alone. Wellness: Garmin already provides strong ecosystem support. Medical Integration: Although Elevate 6 is unlikely to meet full medical-grade diagnostic standards, it could introduce features such as passive irregular rhythm notifications or blood glucose trend tracking. More significantly, Garmin’s broader ecosystem may begin syncing health data with your doctor's records using existing protocols. If I had to place a bet, I’d say this particular patent won’t be realised as Elevate 6 in 2025—but the direction it points toward is clear.
