Garmin May Have Acquired Moxy Monitor to Add Muscle Oxygen Tracking
A report says Garmin has quietly acquired Moxy Monitor, a muscle oxygen sensor maker, a deal that could bring SmO2 readings to future Garmin wearables. Garmin has not confirmed the acquisition.
TechRadar reported, citing the5krunner, that Garmin quietly bought Moxy Monitor and that the impression was confirmed by a source with direct knowledge of the transaction. The report also said Moxy Monitor’s founder implicitly confirmed the deal by directing questions to Garmin instead of his own company’s press office. Garmin has made no comment on the rumored acquisition.
According to the report, Moxy Monitor makes SmO2 sensors that elite athletes use to train more effectively. Garmin has apparently been considering entering this market. The report said Garmin filed a patent earlier this year for an algorithm to measure SmO2 data.
If the acquisition is accurate, future Garmin wearables might be able to integrate SmO2 measurements and help serious athletes improve performance. The report noted that SmO2 cannot be read from the wrist; it requires a near-infrared spectroscopy sensor. That means new hardware would be needed for Garmin to make full use of Moxy Monitor’s technology.
The5krunner also pointed out that Garmin competitor Whoop has patented its own SmO2 strap. Buying Moxy Monitor would give Garmin a way to keep pace with rivals in this area without building an entirely new system from scratch.
Garmin products can already read SmO2 data from third-party straps, and that capability will likely continue to be refined with Moxy Monitor on board, according to the report. That may be the most immediate change, with new hardware further out on the horizon.
The report remains unconfirmed. Garmin has not commented, and it is not yet known how the rumored acquisition could play out or when any new products might arrive.