Garmin said it wouldn’t copy Apple, so why now a rotating crown on its watches?

Garmin has long prided itself on doing things differently. While Apple and Samsung's smartwatches embraced sleek touchscreens and minimalist crowns, Garmin watches doubled down on physical buttons, building a reputation for reliability in rain, sweat and snow. But that old-school approach may be about to change.

According to Gadgets & Wearables, Garmin is working on a rotating crown input system that could replace or complement the five-button layout found on most of its watches.

A recent patent filing cited by G&W describes a "magnetically controlled crown" using a "Hall-effect sensor" rather than mechanical parts. The idea is to allow precise scrolling and zooming while keeping the watch sealed against the elements.

If true, this would be the company’s most radical interface change in years and a subtle acknowledgement that Apple might have been onto something.

The Apple Watch’s digital crown has become synonymous with intuitive smartwatch control, and Samsung’s rotating bezels (see also: Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic review) serve a similar purpose. Garmin adopting a crown could signal a desire to meet those expectations head-on.

The guessing game

The Fenix 8 Pro launched only recently, introducing MicroLED technology, so a redesign so soon seems unlikely.

A crown would fit better in a future Venu or Vivoactive model, where Garmin experiments with touchscreen-heavy, lifestyle-oriented designs.

The Venu 5 (or even a new Venu X1 Pro) could be a natural testing ground before the feature reaches the flagship outdoor line.

That said, the Instinct range has historically been Garmin’s sandbox for experimentation. A crown might seem odd on a tactical-style outdoor watch, but a magnetic, glove-friendly system could improve usability for field athletes or adventurers.

Not a radical shift just yet

Garmin users love the brand’s reliability and tactile control, so replacing buttons entirely would risk backlash.

But combining the best of both worlds (physical inputs for sport and a rotating crown for everyday use) could make Garmin watches more approachable to new audiences without alienating loyal fans.

It would also align with Garmin’s broader push to expand beyond hardcore fitness into wellness and lifestyle tech.

The company already ships over 100 new products a year, exploring new form factors, screens and sensors. Adding a crown would be a natural next step in that quiet evolution.

The patent doesn’t confirm timing, but Garmin typically operates on a two-to-three-year refresh cycle. A rotating crown could appear in mid-range models as early as 2026, with a potential rollout to the Fenix 9 further down the line.

If executed well, it could bridge Garmin’s rugged heritage with the intuitive polish of its competitors, and show that even a company that vowed never to copy Apple can still learn from it.