Strava Takes Garmin to Court: A Deep Dive into the Segments and Heatmap Dispute

By Max / October 3, 2025

Key Highlights

Strava has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for Colorado, accusing Garmin of patent infringement and breach of contract.
The case targets Garmin’s use of segments and heatmap-based routing features in its devices and Garmin Connect platform.
Strava is seeking a permanent injunction, which could potentially block sales of Garmin products using these features.
The conflict also stems from a 2015 Master Cooperation Agreement (MCA), which originally allowed Strava Live Segments on Garmin devices.

What Strava Is Claiming

According to the filing, Strava believes Garmin:

Expanded Garmin-branded segments beyond what the MCA permitted.
Analyzed Strava’s implementation of Live Segments during the partnership and used it as a blueprint for Garmin’s competing system.
Violated patents covering segments (filed in 2011, granted 2015) and heatmap/popularity routing (filed in 2014 and 2016).

In simpler terms: Strava argues Garmin copied its innovations and integrated them into Garmin’s ecosystem without proper licensing.

Timeline of the Dispute

2013: Garmin introduces its first heatmap-related features.
2014: Garmin launches its own Segments on the Edge 1000.
2015: Strava and Garmin sign the MCA, bringing Strava Live Segments to Garmin devices, with an agreement that Garmin and Strava segments would not be shown together.
June–July 2025: Strava sends formal infringement notices to Garmin.
September 30, 2025: Strava officially files the lawsuit in Colorado.

Why This Is Happening Now

The lawsuit’s timing is tied to Garmin’s new API attribution rules, introduced on July 1, 2025. These rules would require apps like Strava to prominently display Garmin branding on posts and visuals.

Strava’s Chief Product Officer criticized the rules publicly, calling them “forced advertising.” He suggested Strava could lose API access by November 1, 2025, if it didn’t comply.

Industry analyst DC Rainmaker adds that growing friction over data attribution, AI training policies, and Garmin’s push into subscription services likely fueled the legal escalation.

Impact on Athletes and Devices

For now, Strava insists the case is strictly between the two companies and that Garmin-to-Strava syncing will not be disrupted.

However, if Strava’s requested injunction succeeds, Garmin could be forced to:

Remove or change segments on watches and cycling computers.
Alter or limit heatmaps and popularity-based routing in Garmin Connect.

Such outcomes are unlikely to happen immediately, since court proceedings, motions, and appeals often take months or years.

Legal Analysis

Heatmaps: Experts suggest Garmin may challenge Strava’s patents using prior art, since Garmin showcased heatmaps as early as 2013. If successful, this could weaken Strava’s case.
Segments: Strava’s segment patent appears more technically specific, potentially giving it stronger footing in court.
Contract claims: Even if patents are disputed, Strava’s reliance on the 2015 MCA could mean separate legal consequences.

Company Reactions

Strava’s position: Garmin went beyond the limits of its license, misused shared knowledge from the partnership, and forced a confrontation with its new API branding policies.
Garmin’s response: The company has declined to comment in detail, sticking to its standard practice during ongoing litigation.

What to Expect Next

Garmin will file its response in court.
Early motions may focus on injunction requests, prior art challenges, and the MCA’s interpretation.
The court could decide on interim measures while the larger patent and contract disputes play out.

Until rulings are made, Garmin devices will continue working with Strava, but the long-term future of segments and heatmaps depends on the outcome of this high-stakes legal battle.

Context Behind the Patents

Segments patent (2011/2015): Covers GPS-based course sections, matching user efforts, and storing results for personal tracking and leaderboards.
Heatmaps/popularity routing patents (2014/2016): Focus on generating maps and route suggestions from aggregated activity data.

DC Rainmaker highlights that Garmin’s 2013 heatmaps and other historical examples may challenge the validity of Strava’s claims in this area.