The year 2024 marks a significant turning point for Strava, the sports social network which continues to grow with now more than 135 million active users around the world. Beyond the impressive figures, it is above all the evolution of uses and equipment which is attracting attention this year.
The Apple Watch dethrones Garmin
A major change has taken place in the field of connected equipment: the Apple Watch has taken over Garmin watches, historically dominant on the platform. The Apple Watch Series comes in first place, followed by the Apple Watch SE (currently on sale), relegating the Garmin Forerunner 245 to third place. This development reflects the massive arrival of new users, often beginners, who favor the versatility of the Apple Watch over the more specialized features of Garmin watches.
However, it is interesting to note that users are turning more to connected watches for longer distances: 83% use a watch for 10km races, and this figure rises to 92% for marathons. In short, the more extreme the sporting activity, the more popular Garmin watches are. The Apple Watch remains the preferred connected watch for occasional and moderate athletes.
2024 also marks the spectacular rise of group sport on Strava. Running clubs saw a 59% increase in their creation this year, while activities involving more than 10 people increased by 18%. This social dimension of sport is taking on a new dimension, particularly among Generation Z, where one in five athletes have even found love thanks to running groups on the platform. Group activities last on average 40% longer than solo outings, demonstrating that sport becomes a real moment of sharing and socialization.
The Strava 2024 report also reveals a profound transformation in the way athletes train. Exit “no pain, no gain”, make way for a more balanced and sustainable approach. More than a fifth of recorded workouts lasted less than 20 minutes, demonstrating a desire to maintain a regular routine rather than seeking exhaustion.
This evolution of Strava reflects a broader transformation of sporting practices, where pure performance is gradually giving way to a more balanced and social approach to sport. For Apple, this is a significant victory which confirms the relevance of its strategy in the connected watch market, even if Garmin maintains its reference position among more experienced athletes.
