Garmin has unveiled exciting new updates for a range of its devices, including the Enduro 2, epix (Gen 2) series, fēnix 7 series, Forerunner series, Venu 3 series, and more. With enhancements like advanced running stats such as cadence and stride length metrics, along with features like nap detection and skin temperature measurements, there is a lot to explore.
Keep reading to find out more and take a look at our guide to the best Garmin watches if you are on the market for a new fitness tracker.
What are the updates?
In case you wanted even more from your Garmin watch, the brand has rolled out a series of innovative updates promising to elevate the user experience. Here's what to expect:
- Nap Detection: is designed to automatically track and log naps, offering insights into their potential benefits for the body, along with suggested optimal time and duration.
- Skin Temperature: allows users to monitor changes in average skin temperature over time while wearing the watch to sleep. This can provide valuable information related to recent activities, sleep environment, potential illnesses and more.
- Body Battery Energy Monitoring Enhancements: offers users even more detailed and personalized insights into how sleep, naps, daily activities and stress impact energy levels. Users can now receive a daily summary every evening, recapping energy use throughout the day.
- Wrist-based Running Dynamics: enables the measurement of crucial metrics such as cadence, stride length, ground contact time, and more.
- Wrist-based Running Power: allows users to manage effort and fine-tune training based on the body's power application during a run.
- Ski Activity Enhancement: ensures continuous recording of an entire skiing session, including time on a chairlift and downhill runs. This provides a more accurate recording of metrics like heart rate, activity time, and elevation.
- Smart Notification Images: takes the user experience a step further, enabling those with a compatible Android smartphone to view received photos directly on their Garmin watch screen.
- Face It Improvements: the customization feature for analog or digital watch faces in the Connect IQ app, sees improvements with the ability to add even more data to enhance the user's watch face.
- Dexcom Watch Face Integration: Garmin introduces Dexcom Watch Face Integration, catering to individuals with diabetes. Users of Dexcom G6 or Dexcom G7 Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) System and a compatible Garmin smartwatch can now conveniently view their glucose levels and trends directly on their watch face, offering a seamless and holistic health monitoring experience.
Can any Garmin device access these updates?
So far as announced by Garmin, these are the following devices that can access the latest updates for free: Enduro 2, epix (Gen 2) series, fenix 7 series, Forerunner series, and the Venu 3 series. They have stated there are more but at the time of writing, this is not available to view on the Garmin website.
We are sad to hear that the latest updates don't apply to older Garmin models but unfortunately, they are not designed with the latest sensor tech to accommodate many of the new features listed above.
How can I get the Garmin updates?
Users of applicable devices can easily update their smartwatches by enabling automatic updates through their devices and syncing with Garmin Connect. Alternatively, they can opt to use Garmin Express for the update process.
And with that, I am off to test out some of these new features on my own Garmin watch.
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