Any good European sport watches?

Was going to buy a new run watch, and thought I would switch from Garmin to Suunto. Sent a mail to customer support, and got an auto reply that Suunto is moving operation to China. Including app and userdata 😢

Asked AI to break it down for me: This privacy policy update indicates some significant changes to how Suunto will handle your data, particularly regarding operations in China. Here’s what it means for your privacy concerns:

Key Changes:

  • Suunto is transferring several key operations to their Chinese group companies, including customer service, repairs, web operations, and app development
  • These Chinese entities will now jointly collect and process your personal data alongside Suunto Oy (the main Finnish company)
  • Data will be transferred from the EU to China, which lacks GDPR-equivalent privacy protections

Privacy Implications:

  • Your personal data (likely including running routes, fitness metrics, location data, and account information) will now be processed in China
  • China has significantly different data privacy laws than the EU, with fewer protections for individual privacy and more government access
  • While Suunto mentions using “standard contractual clauses” (SCCs) to protect data, these are a legal mechanism that many privacy experts consider insufficient when transferring data to countries with intrusive surveillance laws

What This Means For You:

  • If you purchase a Suunto watch and use their services after October 10, 2024, your data will be subject to these new arrangements
  • Your running data, location information, and personal details would potentially be accessible to Chinese authorities under Chinese law
  • The Chinese companies will have access to and control over many aspects of your customer experience

If privacy is a significant concern for you, you might want to:

  1. Consider alternative sports watch brands with different data policies
  2. Research how data localization works with specific models (some watches can function with limited cloud connectivity)
  3. Review the full privacy policy to understand exactly what data is collected and how it’s used