Komoot has launched a new app that brings offline, phone-free navigation to Apple's wearable, allowing users to follow routes, view maps and record activities without carrying their iPhone.
According to Komoot, the updated app enables full turn-by-turn navigation directly on the Apple Watch, with maps stored locally on the device.
Once routes are synced and downloaded, users can navigate entirely offline, making the update particularly useful for hiking, running and cycling in areas with limited mobile signal, including remote trails and mountainous terrain.
Komoot's offline maps provide a direct (albeit third-party) competition to Garmin watches, many of which support offline maps and navigation.
The new app is said to support high-resolution, sport-specific maps that can be panned and zoomed on the watch face, along with live metrics such as distance, pace, speed and elevation.
Activities recorded on the wearable sync automatically with the Komoot account once the user is back online, and the app integrates with Apple Health.
Komoot also notes support for Apple’s Water Lock feature, allowing navigation to continue in wet conditions or during river crossings.
Offline navigation on Apple Watch does not require a Komoot Premium subscription, but users must have the relevant map regions unlocked, either individually or via Komoot’s World Pack, which grants worldwide offline map access.
The route gets busier
The update arrives as navigation on the Apple Watch becomes an increasingly competitive space.
The smartwatch just received a software update to support the new AirTag, and Apple has also just launched a new Black Unity Apple Watch band to mark Black History Month.
Strava has also recently started rolling out its own Apple Watch navigation features, adding on-watch maps and route guidance for some users as part of a gradual, beta-style release.
While Strava’s update focuses on bringing long-requested mapping tools to its existing fitness platform, Komoot’s approach centres on fully offline, phone-free navigation designed specifically for outdoor adventures.
Komoot says the redesigned Apple Watch app is the result of extensive user research, including more than 100 interviews with athletes and outdoor enthusiasts, with a focus on reducing reliance on smartphones during activities.
The new Komoot Apple Watch app is now available on the App Store.
[via GadgetsandWearables]
