What you need to know
- Several Garmin wearables get new software updates and features.
- FĒNIX 7 Series, Epix (Gen 2), and Instinct 2 series will be the first ones to receive them.
- Forerunner 945 LTE and the Edge 1040 series will likely follow the rollout later this year.
Several Garmin watch models have received new updates and software features this week. The select smartwatches include the FĒNIX 7 Series, Epix (Gen 2), and Instinct 2 series. The company also plans to give the Forerunner 945 LTE — its superior running watch — and the Edge 1040 series the same treatment very soon.
The several enhancements to some of the best Garmin smartwatches include battery life improvements. In an accompanying blog post, Garmin says the built-in SatIQ feature on the smartwatches will "automatically turn on multi-band GPS in areas where it's needed most, and it turns off when it's no longer necessary, aiming users to get their most use of the battery."
Further, Garmin watch users can track their "heart rate variability (HRV)" during their sleep as part of the company's accurate tracking activity feature. The smartwatch users, when paired with the smartphone, will now be able to receive daily weather and workout suggestions with the new "Morning report" feature. The report includes a user's information about the previous night's sleep and HRV status. Garmin suggests that users can further customize it as per their preferences.
There is a new "Race widget" to help users to view race prep information that can involve "race day-specific performance prediction, race day weather and a countdown clock — all in one widget."
The training status appears to be updated as well. New indicators for tracking HRV status, recent exercise, and performance routines come with the new feature. Athletes, for instance, are said to be able to receive insights into their overall effort implying their performance and straining stats.
Fitness enthusiasts interested in stocks can now glance at their stocks on their wrists with the new 'stock tracker' on their Garmin watches. They can check up to 50 stocks paired with the stocks app.
The Edge 1040 series of cycling computers also receives some pretty nifty features with the new software release. With the new 'Music controls' feature, the Edge device users can now control their music on their wrist. The 'training status' feature also gets the same treatment for the Edge owners as outlined above for other series.
Further, users can keep track of their intensity minutes on each ride, which is now an added feature. Then there is the 'Full eBike support' feature which lets users connect to ANT or ANT+ compatible ebikes with which users can view "custom eBike data, adjust assistance levels and see remaining range based on a planned course."
The new software and feature updates started rolling to the aforementioned Garmin smartwatches and cycling computers beginning this week. Users can enable automatic updates on their devices or, as an alternative, use Garmin Express.
