Garmin has rolled out a small but potentially important software update for the Fenix 8 Pro, addressing one of the biggest complaints reported by some owners in recent weeks.

While System Software 22.39 isn't packed with new features, it fixes a possible battery drain issue that could make a noticeable difference for affected users.

According to Garmin's official release notes, the update includes just two changes: a fix for "possible battery drain" and another for "possible issues when doing voice calls."

It's a brief changelog, but one that follows reports from some Garmin watch owners who experienced unusually high battery consumption after previous firmware releases.

The company hasn't revealed what caused the issue or how widespread it was, so it's worth noting that not every user was affected.

More than a maintenance release

The timing is also good news for anyone thinking about buying Garmin's flagship outdoor smartwatch.

The Garmin Fenix 8 Pro AMOLED (47mm) is currently available at Very for £869, £160 below its £1,029 RRP.

It's not quite the lowest price we've seen, but it's still one of the strongest deals available on Garmin's premium multisport watch.

The Fenix 8 Pro sits at the top of Garmin's adventure watch range and packs just about every feature an outdoor enthusiast could want.

Alongside comprehensive fitness and health tracking, it offers full-colour offline mapping, multi-band GNSS, advanced navigation tools, training readiness, endurance and hill scores, and Garmin's extensive suite of recovery and performance metrics.

The 47mm model also features a bright AMOLED display protected by a sapphire crystal lens, a titanium bezel for added durability, built-in LED flashlight, speaker and microphone for calls and voice commands, and LTE connectivity for additional safety and communication features.

Combined with Garmin's excellent battery life (now improved) and regular software support, it remains one of the most capable outdoor smartwatches you can buy.

[via NotebookCheck, Garmin Forums]

I’m way overdue with this Garmin Fenix 8 Pro review. I tested the MicroLED version of Garmin’s flagship wearable when it came out and have worn the AMOLED version a lot since then, but somehow I never found the time to put my thoughts into words. Turns out, you can’t forever put off doing things!

Not like writing what’s admittedly the best Garmin watch (well, the most feature-rich, anyway) is a huge burden. I’ve always loved using Garmin products, and the Fenix line has always held a special place in my heart, thanks to its rugged build and excellent mapping functionality.

That said, it almost feels like the Fenix 8 Pro came a bit too soon after the Garmin Fenix 8. Don’t get me wrong, it was an important launch – the world’s first microLED smartwatch! – but from a features perspective, it offers little that is tangibly different from its predecessor.

Sure, inReach Messenger is nice, and so is the MicroLED panel, but otherwise, you’re getting the same sensors and, most importantly, almost the carbon copy of the Fenix 8 user experience, especially if you opt for the AMOLED model.

I certainly wouldn’t throw away my Fenix 8 to get a Fenix 8 Pro, but even with that, it’s hard to deny that the Fenix 8 Pro is the best outdoor watch right now, all things considered. If you have an older Fenix and are keen on staying in the Garmin ecosystem, you’ll love the Fenix 8 Pro. Should you get one? Let’s find out.

Garmin Fenix 8 Pro review

Price and availability

The Fenix 8 Pro was launched in September 2025 and is available to buy now at Garmin UK, Garmin US, Garmin AU and Garmin EU.

The AMOLED version is available in 47mm and 51mm sizes, and starts at £1,030 / $1,200 / AU$2,100 / €1,300. The MicroLED option comes in one case size only (51mm) and costs a whopping £1,500 / $1,700 / AU$3,400 / €1,800.

The MicroLED retailed for more at launch, but Garmin has since permanently dropped the price to entice more people to get the watch. It’s still a huge investment, but there are often deals on the AMOLED version. Recently, Amazon knocked the price down to £726 in the UK.

Design

The Garmin Fenix 8 Pro is available in 47mm and 51mm case sizes, pairing them with a fibre-reinforced polymer case with a titanium rear cover, while the sapphire edition adds a lightweight titanium bezel and scratch-resistant sapphire crystal lens.

You can opt for Garmin's familiar AMOLED screen or the brand's first-ever MicroLED display. Both offer the same resolution and user interface, but the MicroLED panel delivers significantly higher brightness – up to 4,500 nits – making it exceptionally easy to read in harsh sunlight.

In direct sunlight, the MicroLED looks almost as if the graphics have been printed onto the glass, with outstanding visibility from virtually any angle.

The AMOLED model, meanwhile, peaks at around 2,000 nits, which is commendable but not necessarily on par with some rivals, including the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and the much more affordable Amazfit T-Rex Ultra 2. That said, the Fenix 8 Pro is still among the brightest displays you'll find on a sports watch.

The Fenix 8 Pro is rated to 10 ATM, making it suitable for swimming, freediving and recreational scuba diving, while redesigned leak-proof buttons improve reliability during underwater activities. Unlike other brands (e.g., Huawei Watch Ultimate 2), Garmin doesn’t advertise the Fenix line as a dive-first smartwatch, likely because it has its own dive watch line (the Descent line).

An integrated LED flashlight, complete with white and red light modes, returns for everything from pre-dawn runs to campsite chores. The watch itself can also shift to red mode (the screen), which is handy for after-hours watch staring. You can also set the watch to automatically switch to red shift mode after sunset.

Like the standard Fenix 8, the Pro includes a built-in microphone and speaker for Bluetooth phone calls, voice assistant support and offline voice commands, while Garmin's QuickFit strap system makes it easy to swap bands without tools. It all adds up to one of the most capable and best-built adventure watches currently available.

Features

If you've used a recent Fenix 8 or Enduro 3, very little about the Fenix 8 Pro will surprise you. That's not a criticism; Garmin has spent years building arguably the most comprehensive fitness and outdoor ecosystem on the market, and this generation is more about refinement than reinvention.

The only genuinely headline-grabbing addition is support for Garmin inReach messaging over LTE, allowing users to send and receive messages via the satellite communicator without carrying a phone, provided they have a compatible inReach subscription.

Prices start at £7.99 / $7.99 / AU$11.99 / €9.99, which is way more than the Oura subscription, for example, and it ‘only’ lets you message people when there is no reception. As such, this feature is only really useful for people who spend a lot of time off grid and require the ability to communicate with others who aren’t (unless the whole team have Fenix 8 Pro watches).

Health tracking is handled by Garmin's latest Elevate Gen 5 optical heart rate sensor, which debuted in May 2023 on the Garmin Fenix 7 Pro and the now discontinued (and very cheap) Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2). It supports 24/7 heart rate monitoring alongside Pulse Ox, skin temperature tracking, ECG, respiration, stress tracking, Body Battery, HRV Status and advanced sleep analysis with Sleep Coach and nap detection.

Training features are equally extensive, with Training Readiness, Training Status, Daily Suggested Workouts, Endurance Score, Hill Score, Race Predictor and Garmin Coach all returning. The Fenix is the brand’s top outdoor watch, and as such, the UI prioritises mapping and navigation, but you can find all other training, health and smart features in the menus.

Strength training has also continued to improve, with automatic rep counting, muscle maps and guided workouts making it genuinely useful in the gym, while support for dozens of activity profiles means everything from trail running and ski touring to paddleboarding and open-water swimming is catered for.

The built-in microphone and speaker enable Bluetooth phone calls when paired with a smartphone, while voice assistant support lets you interact with Siri or Google Assistant if that’s what your heart desires.

I’ve never been too keen on chatting with my watch (or phone or smart speaker, the latter of which I don’t have), but given the price and the flagship nature of the Fenix 8 Pro, this is a feature Garmin must include.

The company also includes offline voice commands, allowing you to start activities, set timers or control certain watch functions even when you're away from mobile reception. Music storage, contactless payments via Garmin Pay, smartphone notifications and access to the Connect IQ store round out the experience.

Mapping, navigation and accuracy

Navigation has long been one of the Fenix series' biggest strengths, and the Fenix 8 Pro continues to set the benchmark. It comes preloaded with TopoActive maps, detailed road and trail mapping, ski resort maps and golf course data, while downloadable regional maps ensure you can plan routes and navigate without needing a phone signal.

There aren’t many watches I would trust for offline maps and route planning in uncharted areas, but Garmin watches have never let me down. Maps can be downloaded via the Connect app, and the map options are clearly labelled (e.g., United Kingdom and Northern Ireland). It’s a system that works and has been working for a long time.

Features such as ClimbPro break down upcoming ascents, NextFork shows the distance to the next trail junction, and Up Ahead lets you see upcoming aid stations, summits or points of interest. None of these is new, but they are part of the ever-so-extensive Garmin training ecosystem.

Dynamic round-trip routing remains one of my favourite features, generating surprisingly sensible running and cycling routes directly on the watch, while turn-by-turn navigation makes it easy to stay on course without constantly referring to your wrist.

The Fenix 8 Pro supports multi-band GNSS across GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS and BeiDou. It features SatIQ (now called Auto Select), which automatically switches to the most sensible GNSS method to conserve battery life. For example, it might switch to single-band in open areas and to maximum-accuracy mode in the forest. The brand doesn’t disclose how this feature works, despite my efforts to find out over the years.

Across months of testing, I found GPS tracks to be consistently clean, with little evidence of corner-cutting or wandering, even on heavily tree-lined trails and urban routes between tall buildings.

As for the Elevate Gen 5, Garmin’s wrist-based heart rate monitoring has improved significantly over the past few years, and during steady-state runs, long hikes and strength workouts, the Fenix 8 Pro tracked closely with a chest strap.

As with almost every optical sensor, short, high-intensity intervals can still produce the occasional lag, but for the vast majority of users, the onboard sensor is accurate enough that a chest strap becomes optional rather than essential.

Battery life and charging

Battery life has always been one of the Fenix range's defining strengths, and while the Fenix 8 Pro continues that tradition, there's now a much clearer distinction between the AMOLED and MicroLED models. If endurance is your top priority, the AMOLED version remains the one to buy.

Garmin rates the 47mm AMOLED model for up to 15 days in smartwatch mode (or eight days with the always-on display enabled), while the larger 51mm AMOLED stretches that to 27 days (or 15 days always-on).

Even in the most demanding multi-band GNSS mode, you're looking at up to 30 hours on the 47mm and 53 hours on the 51mm, giving you more than enough endurance for everything from marathon training to multi-day hiking trips.

Despite using what many expected to be a more efficient display technology, the first-generation MicroLED panel is considerably more power-hungry than Garmin's AMOLED screen.

Officially, the 51mm MicroLED model lasts up to 10 days in smartwatch mode (or just four days with the display always on), dropping to 34 hours in multi-band GNSS mode. That's still respectable by smartwatch standards, but it's a noticeable step backwards for a Fenix, especially one carrying such a significant price premium.

In practice, I found Garmin's estimates to be realistic. As with every Fenix before it, battery life varies widely depending on how you use the watch. Daily GPS workouts, frequent GNSS / map use, pulse oximetry (which I always turn off first thing), music playback (very bad for battery life) and LTE LiveTrack all have a measurable impact.

On the other hand, you have SatIQ, which does an excellent job of balancing accuracy and efficiency by engaging multi-band GPS only when conditions require it. Unless you're intentionally trying to drain it, the AMOLED model is still a watch you'll measure in weeks rather than days, which remains a rarity among flagship smartwatches.

Charging is unchanged (pun intended). The Fenix 8 Pro uses Garmin's familiar proprietary four-pin charging cable rather than adopting USB-C or wireless charging. While I'd still like to see Garmin modernise its charging solution, the cable is secure and reliable, and thanks to the watch's excellent endurance you'll rarely need to reach for it.

Verdict

The Garmin Fenix 8 Pro is, without question, the best outdoor smartwatch money can buy.

It combines class-leading navigation, outstanding training tools, reliable health tracking and exceptional build quality into a package that's as comfortable pacing a marathon as it is guiding you across a mountain range. The new MicroLED display is genuinely impressive, too, delivering brightness that no other sports watch can currently match.

The problem is that most of those strengths were already present on the Fenix 8. Unless you specifically want the dazzling MicroLED display or the ability to use inReach Messenger directly from your wrist, the day-to-day experience is remarkably similar. In short, the AMOLED Fenix 8 Pro is a refined version of an already excellent watch.

That's made more complicated by timing. With the Fenix 9 likely on the horizon, potentially bringing a new optical heart rate sensor and perhaps even combining AMOLED with Power Glass charging, the Fenix 8 Pro doesn't feel like the obvious long-term investment it might have six months ago.

Fortunately, it's now available well below its original launch price, making it considerably easier to recommend than it was at launch.

Even so, I'd still point most people towards the cheaper Fenix 8, which delivers almost the same experience for less money. But if you simply want Garmin's most capable adventure watch and don't mind paying for the privilege, the Fenix 8 Pro wears the crown. At least until its successor arrives.

Google just recently unveiled the Fitbit Air, the brand's first screenless wearable, trying to compete with the likes of Whoop and Polar.

Now, Amazfit has announced its take on the screenless wearable concept.

The new Helio Strap Pro aims to measure how your body moves during exercise, giving hybrid athletes and gym-goers a more complete picture of their performance.

Building on last year's Helio Strap, the Helio Strap Pro adds a second sensor that sits at your waist to capture core-body movement and stability.

Amazfit says this allows the system to monitor movement quality, efficiency and muscle load alongside more traditional metrics such as heart rate.

The Helio Strap Pro isn't a single device, but rather a system that combines the Helio Core Motion HR sensor, worn on the upper arm, with the Helio Core Motion Waist sensor, which attaches around your midsection.

Together, they work with compatible Amazfit smartwatches to create what the company calls a "body-worn training system".

Built with HYROX athletes in mind

Amazfit evidently takes its global partnership with HYROX seriously.

The fitness racing series, which blends running with functional workout stations and has attracted a sizeable CrossFit audience, is now said to be one of the fastest-growing participation sports in the world.

At launch, the Helio Strap Pro is designed to work alongside the new Amazfit Balance 3 and Balance Ultra, using the watches' HYROX Race and HYROX Simulation modes.

During workouts, the watch and sensors collect data from different parts of the body, allowing Amazfit to analyse how movement patterns change as fatigue builds.

It's an interesting evolution of the screenless wearable concept. Devices such as the Fitbit Air, Whoop MG and the original Helio Strap focus heavily on recovery, readiness and health metrics.

The Helio Strap Pro still does that, but also attempts to understand how efficiently you're moving during training sessions.

The new system includes the Helio Core Motion HR sensor, Helio Core Motion Waist sensor, wristband, armband, clip and magnetic charger in the box.

The Helio Strap Pro is available for pre-order now at Amazfit US for $200 (~£152 / €175 / AU$286).

UK, EU and AU pricing and availability have yet to be confirmed.

The next ultra-endurance Garmin watch may have just made an early appearance.

According to recent reports, references to the Enduro 4 have been spotted in code associated with the Garmin Connect app, suggesting the company is already preparing software support for an upcoming device.

While Garmin has (understandably) yet to confirm the watch's existence, the leak immediately raises a bigger question than the watch itself: what happens to the Enduro lineup in an increasingly AMOLED-focused Garmin ecosystem?

While many of the brand's flagship watches, including the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro, have moved towards brighter AMOLED and MicroLED displays, the Enduro remains firmly focused on battery life above all else.

Historically, the ultra-runner favourite wearable used a memory-in-pixel (MIP) display combined with Garmin's solar charging technology to deliver some of the longest runtimes available on any performance smartwatch (see also Leon's Garmin Enduro 3 review).

That's become the defining characteristic of the Enduro series, especially among long-distance runners, hikers and expedition athletes who value longevity over screen quality.

So, where does this all leave the Enduro 4? I can see three possibilities, one of which is the most likely, even though it also feels somewhat interesting coming from a brand that's been pushing new technologies for decades.

The watch that could keep MIP alive

Garmin's recent launches suggest the company is steadily moving towards premium display technologies.

AMOLED screens are now common across much of its range, while MicroLED appears to be the brand's long-term flagship display solution, making the upcoming Enduro a fascinating product from a strategic perspective.

If Garmin replaces the MIP display with AMOLED, it risks losing the very feature that makes the Enduro stand out from watches such as the Fenix, as well as alienating the model's core audience.

Even with improvements in battery efficiency, AMOLED displays consume considerably more power than reflective MIP panels, particularly during extended outdoor use with GPS turned on.

For that reason alone, the Enduro could become the last major Garmin product family to retain MIP technology. Well, there is also the Instinct 3, which launched in January 2025 and sports a MIP + Solar combo, but still – it was released over a year and a half ago, an absolute age in wearables.

That said, the most likely scenario is that the next-generation Enduro will feature updated sensors, a more efficient processor, enhanced solar charging, and improved GPS performance.

It would still have a clear purpose in the lineup without abandoning the battery-first philosophy that has defined the series.

Could AMOLED and solar finally coexist?

Of course, Garmin may have other plans.

One possibility is that the company has been working on a more advanced version of its Power Glass technology that can offset the additional power demands of an AMOLED display.

Such a combination would allow Garmin to modernise the Enduro while preserving much of its legendary battery life. The challenge is that expectations are exceptionally high among Enduro owners, who expect class-leading – not just very long – battery life.

An AMOLED Enduro that lasts a few weeks between charges would still be impressive by smartwatch standards, but it might not be enough to satisfy athletes who currently choose the series specifically because it can keep going for extended adventures without needing to visit a power socket.

While Garmin is surely working on this technology, it would also be strange for the company to debut such a game-changer feature in the Enduro line. Innovations are usually reserved for the Fenix, and should the AMOLED + Power Glass tech launch soon, it's likely to debut in the Fenix 9.

The subtle option

Another possibility is that Garmin's next-generation chipset could deliver meaningful efficiency gains through smarter power management.

Smartwatch manufacturers have increasingly relied on intelligent task scheduling and machine-learning-assisted optimisation to extend battery life without increasing battery size, and Garmin could adopt a similar approach.

Garmin doesn't like to talk about chips as much as other manufacturers, even though I'm sure it's been tinkering with machine learning/AI to optimise the performance of its wearables.

Even if the company won't use third-party chipsets (e.g., Snapdragon), AI-enhanced silicon that handles tasks more efficiently could improve battery life.

Of course, Garmin would have to admit in its marketing that it did something with its components for the improvements to make sense – it can't just launch the watch and say, "hey, the Enduro 4 has longer battery life, but we won't tell you why."

For now, all we know is that the Enduro 4 appears to be on Garmin's roadmap. The bigger mystery is whether it will become the watch that finally brings AMOLED and solar charging together, or the product that keeps MIP displays alive for another generation.

[via NotebookCheck, Gadgets&Wearables]

Amazfit has unveiled two new additions to its growing smartwatch portfolio, the Balance Ultra and Balance 3, introducing a range of hardware upgrades and new training features.

With titanium construction, sapphire glass, dual-band GPS, offline maps, and long battery life, the wearables are aimed at the same premium sports-watch buyers who typically shop Garmin watches.

Although the company is placing a strong emphasis on HYROX with the latest models, the Balance Ultra and Balance 3 also bring meaningful improvements to the hardware itself.

Both watches feature a 1.5-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 480 x 480 pixels, sapphire glass protection and a peak brightness of 3,000 nits.

That's a significant jump from the 2,000-nit display found on the Balance 2 and should make the screens easier to read in bright sunlight.

More than just a brighter screen

The company has equipped both fitness watches with a new processor, which the company claims delivers up to 2.5 times faster rendering and 12 times faster map refresh rates than before.

Storage has also doubled from 32GB to 64GB, providing additional space for offline maps and other content.

Offline topographic and contour maps remain a key part of the experience, alongside dual-frequency GPS and support for six satellite positioning systems.

The flagship Balance Ultra features a Grade 5 titanium frame and bottom case, weighs 57g and packs a 780mAh battery.

Amazfit says it can last up to 30 days between charges or deliver up to 50 hours of GPS tracking.

The Balance 3 is available in Titanium or Stainless Steel and offers up to 21 days of battery life and 41 hours of GPS use.

An integrated dual-mode flashlight with white, red and SOS lighting modes is also new to the watches, although not to the brand, as the Cheetah 2 Ultra already has this.

Both watches are also rated to 10ATM, support diving activities, and meet "military-grade durability standards."

Amazfit goes all-in on hybrid training

Amazfit is introducing a suite of new hybrid training tools aimed at athletes balancing strength and endurance workouts, including Training Balance and Hybrid Charge.

The watches include access to a dedicated HYROX training library, personalised race strategies based on venue layouts and detailed post-race analysis.

The Balance Ultra and Balance 3 run Zepp OS 6 and support a wide range of third-party platforms, including Strava, TrainingPeaks, Komoot, adidas Running and Intervals.icu.

They can also connect to external accessories such as heart rate monitors, cycling power meters and Stryd foot pods.

The Balance Ultra is priced at £600 / €600 / $600 (~AU$848) and is available exclusively in titanium at Amazfit UK, Amazfit EU and Amazfit US.

The Balance 3 is available ot pre-order now, with prices starting at £370 / €370 / $370 (~AU$523) for the Stainless Steel version at Amazfit UK, Amazfit EU and Amazfit US.

Garmin has mastered the art of keeping its product launches under wraps, which, at least in my books, is a good development. Too long have publications, blogs and influencers leaked upcoming Garmin watches, taking the joy out of the actual launch.

The Forerunner 70 and its moderately higher-end sibling, the Forerunner 170, were launched earlier this month, and I’ve been lucky enough to secure the latter a few days before the official 15 May launch.

Two weeks later, I think I have a pretty good idea what the Forerunner 170 is, who it's for and its strengths and weaknesses. In essence, it’s a beginner-friendly running watch with personalised running workouts and a bright AMOLED screen, but it sacrifices the latest heart rate sensor and multi-band GPS to keep the price down.

Worth a buy? I’d think so, unless you’re very cash-strapped, in which case the entry-level Forerunner 70 is the best option for you. The Forerunner 170 has a lot going for it, is keenly priced and gets you access to a variety of Garmin ecosystem benefits, all in a handsome, colourful package.

Garmin Forerunner 170 review

Price and availability

The Forerunner 170 was launched on 15 May 2026 alongside the Forerunner 70 and is available to buy now directly from Garmin UK, Garmin US, Garmin EU and Garmin AU for the recommended price of £260 / $300 / €300 / AU$479.

The Forerunner 170 Music, which can store offline audio from most major streaming platforms, including Deezer and Spotify, retails for £40 / £50 / €50 / AU$80 more. Both versions have the same internal storage of 4GB.

The even more affordable Forerunner 70 carries a price tag of £220 / $250 / €250 / AU$399 but misses out on features such as Garmin Pay, has a much smaller internal storage (512MB), and fewer sensors (e.g. no ECG or skin temperature).

The Garmin Forerunner 570, the next step up in the Forerunner range, has a recommended retail price of £460 / $550 / AU$999, even though it retails for a little less these days.

The Coros Pace 4, an affordable Forerunner 170 alternative that launched around half a year ago, sells for £229 / $249 / €269, so cheaper than the Forerunner 170. Offers are harder to come by on this model, though.

Design and build quality

The Forerunner 170 follows the recent trend in Garmin wearables and comes in six different colours (two non-Music and four Music options), most of which feature two-tone straps, something Garmin engineers were very proud of last year when I visited the brand’s headquarters in Olathe, Kansas.

It has a 1.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen with a maximum resolution of 390 x 390 pixels and appears to use the same panel as the Forerunner 70 and Forerunner 570. It’s bright enough for everyday use, though I can’t tell exactly how luminous it is, since Garmin doesn’t disclose this information.

The case measures 42.6 x 42.6 x 11.9 mm, which makes the Forerunner 170 a hair wider and taller than the Forerunner 570 but also 1 mm thinner (the same dimensions as the Forerunner 170). The watch weighs 41 g, which is roughly the same as the Forerunner 70 and Forerunner 570.

The case and the bezel are both fibre-reinforced polymer (a.k.a. plastic), making the Forerunner 170 light but also not the most luxurious-looking smartwatch. Also, the company opted for chemically strengthened glass lens instead of Corning Gorilla Glass 3 or sapphire crystal lens found on more expensive models.

One of the big differences between the Forerunner 170 and the Forerunner 570 (and other Garmin watches, including the Garmin Fenix 8 and the Garmin Venu X1) is that the former uses the last-generation Elevate v4 sensor. This was introduced five years ago in the Garmin Venu 2, so at this point isn’t particularly cutting-edge technology.

The Forerunner 170 has an industry-standard 20 mm quick-release strap. I quite like the two-tone version that comes with the watch, but if you want to change it, rest assured, you can do so without hassle.

The watch uses the same four-pin proprietary Garmin chargers as all other Garmins from the last god knows how many years. The button layout is also the same as it’s always been. The Forerunner 170 is rated to 5 ATM, just like all other Forerunners, including the flagship Garmin Forerunner 970.

Features

One of the new features on the Forerunner 170 is Quick Workouts, which lets you create a custom workout based on time, intensity, and your overall training readiness. You can choose between 30-, 45-, and 60-minute sessions and four intensity levels, including easy, moderate, hard, and very hard.

This is a useful feature for beginners, who are admittedly the target market for the watch. Plus, it lets you create your own workouts instead of relying on the ones Garmin Coach suggest. Not like there is anything wrong with those; I quite enjoy the variety of Daily Suggestions.

One thing you might have noticed is that the maximum duration for a custom workout is an hour, which might be good enough for a beginner, but those training for half-marathons and full marathons might find this feature too inflexible. I find Garmin’s algorithm modest, at best, as it often avoids giving you long runs. This is clearly reflected in the new Quick Workouts feature.

One notable omission from the feature list is multi-band GNSS. The watch only has single-band positioning, which might make it less accurate in challenging environments, such as densely built urban areas or forests with thick foliage. I tested the watch in non-challenging areas, by the coast with good sky visibility, and tracking worked just fine.

I pitted the watch against another affordable model, the Huawei Watch GT Runner 2, which I found very accurate for outdoor positioning, and both watches marked distance almost exactly the same way; there was probably a half-second difference between the two. I haven’t taken the Forerunner 170 for long-long runs, but for anything up to 10k, it feels spot on.

Despite the Elevate v4 sensor, heart rate tracking is also on point, especially for running. I also tried the watch for home workouts, and the only time the Forerunner 170 tripped up was when I popped it down onto a shiny wooden surface, which might have tricked the sensor into thinking it was still on my wrist, as it kept measuring my heart rate.

I’d like to stress that even though it’s not new, there’s nothing inherently wrong with the Elevate v4 sensor. Most watches that have it work perfectly fine; if anything, we’re learning that old tech can do wonders when used correctly (see also the Artemis II Mission GoPro story).

The company has refined the algorithm many times over since the launch of the Elevate v4. Even five years ago, it felt good to me. Sure, the Elevate v5 has more LEDs and other sensors that can track ECG and skin temperature, but for running, the predecessor is good enough, to say the least.

You do miss out on a few advanced metrics, such as Heat and Altitude Acclimation, Realtime Stamina, Endurance Score, multisport tracking, and Garmin and Strava segment support. However, you get a ton of health and fitness features that you can actually use in your everyday training.

I won’t list these all because this review would go on absolute forever, but the Forerunner 170 has everything from sleep and stress management tools to Fitness Age and Body Battery.

Speaking of Body Battery, one of my smaller gripes with the wearable is its watch face. Garmin always makes a new watch face for its new models, and the Forerunner 170’s features three bars: steps, Body Battery and weekly running distance. The issue is, if you hit your step goals, your Body Battery will be way down, or vice versa, meaning that the bars will never be completed. Oh well.

One final thing to mention is that the non-Music Forerunner doesn’t have WiFi. In practice, this doesn't affect most day-to-day syncing as much as you might think. Garmin watches primarily sync via Bluetooth to the Garmin Connect app on your phone.

Battery life and charging

Official battery life on the Forerunner 170 is up to 10 days, which is on par with the Forerunner 570 but three days less than the Forerunner 70. The discrepancy between the two new watches is likely down to the Forerunner 170 having more sensors, NFC hardware, and music support on the Music version (plus Wi-Fi).

In my experience, the watch depleted about 10% in 24 hours without GPS enabled, which is in line with the brand’s official numbers. GPS battery life estimation proved to be accurate, too. I went for a three-and-a-half-hour walk with All Systems on, and the battery went from 50% to 25%, giving you 14 hours of GPS battery life.

As for charging, the watch went from 15% to 50% in 20 minutes and to 100% in 65 minutes. Garmins change fast, and the Forerunner 170 is no exception!

Verdict

The Forerunner 170 cuts a few more corners than I'd ideally like to see, especially when it comes to GPS, heart rate hardware and the lack of multisport support. Yet after spending time with the watch, it's difficult not to appreciate how focused Garmin has been with its design.

This isn't a wearable trying to be everything to everyone. It's a running watch for people who want guidance, motivation and reliable tracking in an attractive package without spending big Forerunner money. The AMOLED display is excellent, battery life is strong, and Garmin's training ecosystem remains one of the best in the business.

Multisport athletes should keep moving, and experienced runners may eventually outgrow some of the watch's limitations. For beginners, however, the Forerunner 170 hits a sweet spot few rivals can match, offering just enough features to help you improve without overwhelming you in the process.

Also consider

If your budget is tight, the Forerunner 70 is difficult to ignore. It offers the same AMOLED display, access to Garmin Coach and Daily Suggested Workouts, plus even longer battery life than the Forerunner 170. You lose Garmin Pay, some sensors and a few premium features, but the core running experience remains impressively intact.

The Coros Pace 4 is one of the Forerunner 170's closest rivals and arguably offers more value for experienced runners. It packs dual-frequency GPS, excellent battery life and Coros' increasingly capable training platform into a lightweight package. The software ecosystem isn't quite as polished as Garmin's, but serious runners may appreciate the extra hardware.

If you think you might outgrow the Forerunner 170, the Garmin Forerunner 570 is worth stretching your budget for. It adds Garmin's latest Elevate v5 sensor, multi-band GPS, Wi-Fi connectivity, multisport mode and a range of advanced training metrics. It's more expensive, but also a much more capable long-term training companion.

Garmin is rolling out a new software update for the Forerunner 570 and Forerunner 970, bringing a range of new features, from golf tools and navigation improvements to a more accessible Silent Mode option.

Software version 17.33 is currently reaching users and adds eight new features to the two Garmin watches.

Among the additions is a new Silent Mode shortcut, which can now be accessed directly from the controls menu rather than through the settings pages.

The update also expands the watches' golf capabilities, including support for Garmin's Approach CT1 club-tracking sensors, while Golf Performance Glance and Green View updates provide additional on-course data and visual information.

More navigation and mapping tools

Away from the golf course, Garmin has added support for multiple coordinate formats and introduced a new option that allows you to navigate back to a Man Overboard location.

The feature is primarily aimed at marine users but could prove useful in a range of outdoor scenarios.

There are also several smaller usability improvements included in the release.

A swipe-up keyboard layout menu should make text entry a little easier, while Outdoor Maps+ subscribers can now scan QR codes to access additional information about map layers.

The company has spent much of the last year rolling out new features across its smartwatch portfolio, from training and recovery tools to navigation and lifestyle-focused additions.

The Forerunner 570 and Forerunner 970 were unveiled in May 2025 as the successors to the popular Forerunner 265 and Forerunner 965.

Both models introduced brighter AMOLED displays, speaker and microphone functionality, and expanded training and recovery tools.

While version 17.33 doesn't introduce any headline-grabbing new training metrics, it does add a collection of practical features that should improve the day-to-day experience for owners, particularly those who use their watches for navigation, golf or outdoor adventures.

The update is rolling out now and should be available to all eligible users over the coming days.

[via Notebookcheck]

Amazfit has officially unveiled the new Amazfit Cheetah 2 Ultra, a premium, endurance-focused smartwatch designed for trail runners and ultra-distance athletes.

The new wearable sits at the top of Amazfit’s running-watch lineup and introduces a number of hardware upgrades over the original Cheetah series, including a Grade 5 titanium bezel, sapphire glass lens, offline contour maps and expanded onboard storage.

The Cheetah 2 Ultra features a 1.5-inch AMOLED display with up to 3,000 nits of peak brightness, along with dual-band GPS supporting six satellite systems.

The watch also includes 64GB of storage for maps and offline music playback.

Beyond the aid stations

Amazfit says the watch was designed specifically for mountain runners and endurance athletes who spend long periods training or racing away from urban areas.

The Cheetah 2 Ultra offers full-colour contour maps, turn-by-turn navigation and route import support, with the company also claiming improved map rendering and refresh speeds compared to previous generations.

Battery performance is one of the headline features, with Amazfit quoting up to 30 days of battery life in smartwatch mode, alongside up to 60 hours of GPS usage in accuracy-focused tracking modes.

The smartwatch also includes a range of advanced training and recovery metrics, including HRV tracking, training load analysis, recovery guidance and running dynamics.

Integration with third-party platforms such as Strava, Runna and TrainingPeaks is supported through the Zepp ecosystem.

More than just a bright screen

The launch comes at an interesting time for both companies.

Garmin is plugging gaps at the lower end of its smartwatch portfolio with the new Forerunner 70 and Forerunner 170 models to keep brands like Amazfit from gaining too much ground in the affordable wearable market.

Meanwhile, Amazfit is pushing premium materials and continues to broaden its ecosystem to rival higher-end Garmin models such as the Fenix 8 and the Enduro 3.

And while the Cheetah 2 Ultra can't replace either of those Garmin watches yet, it offers a viable alternative for those who aren't locked into the wearable titan's ecosystem (yet).

The Cheetah 2 Ultra is available now through Amazfit UK, Amazfit US and Amazfit EU for £600 / v / €600 (~AU$840).

Even though I report on Garmin almost every day, the launch of the Forerunner 70 and Forerunner 170 caught me a bit by surprise. The brand is clearly getting better at keeping things under wraps until the announcement, which is great for us fans, as who likes a dragged-out, rumour-mill-fuelled product launch? Exactly – no one.

The timing of the new Forerunner releases feels deliberate. The company has been very quiet on the hardware front this year, which might come as a surprise after the absolute deluge of last year’s Garmin launches.

In 2026, all we had so far were rumours about the still-upcoming Circa band, the imminent Fenix 9 launch (likely during the summer season), and various smaller speculations about products that may or may not ever come out.

The watch no one expected to return

I bet no one had “successor of the now 5-year-old Forerunner 55” on their 2026 Garmin release bingo. The smartwatch, which even at the time of its launch felt slightly behind the competition, has become a bit of a cult favourite among beginner runners, mainly thanks to its affordable price point and long battery life.

Not to mention, the most basic Forerunner has always been the least intimidating of the lot, making it all the more appealing to beginners. If you’re new to running and want to make a leap from, let’s say, an Apple Watch to a Garmin, the Forerunner 55 feels like a safe bet.

That said, by now, the watch is old tech. Sure, it’s cheap, but it can’t keep up with other beginner watches in the same category. Sure, it grants you access to the vast Garmin ecosystem for not a lot of money, but that’s pretty much it. Most of the new features introduced in newer Garmin watches will never make it to the Forerunner 55, simply because its hardware can’t cope with them.

Cheap running watches aren’t simple to make anymore

And there lies the first reason why the company decided to launch the new wearables (especially the Forerunner 70): it was long overdue. Garmin needs an option for beginners, who will always outnumber pro runners (by default). It’s a big market, and Garmin can’t afford to miss out on it.

One reason the brand hasn’t launched the watch sooner could be hardware-related costs. Many tech brands struggle with supply issues because AI is gobbling up all available RAM. This affected wearable companies less, but the issue will affect them to some extent.

Also, AMOLED panels and newer heart rate sensors take time to get cheaper. One industry expert told me last year that AMOLED panels are actually cheaper than MIP (memory-in-pixel) screens these days, even though MIP used to be the norm. It simply takes time for tech to be affordable enough to include in lower-end products.

At this point, it’s highly unlikely Garmin will ever launch a new watch with an MIP screen, so it had no choice but to wait for components to become cheaper to launch an affordable Forerunner again.

Garmin can’t ignore the entry-level race forever

Hardware issues are one thing, competition is another. Garmin has gone from strength to strength in recent years, monetising on the running boom, big time. Rightly so; if you want a reliable running watch, most people will recommend a Garmin. The ecosystem is mature, and the software updates keep products up to date for years to come.

However, there’s no shortage of choice if you’re looking for an affordable running wearable. Coros, the last bastion of MIP watches, has plenty of options (see also: Coros Nomad review), and so does Amazfit, which has been coming after the lower end of the market hard in recent years (a good example is the recent Amazfit Active Max).

Both companies have very good wearable options for beginners and pros alike, with their software ecosystem growing by the day (well, almost).

Garmin had to do something to curb the advance of its competitors. The brand isn’t quite in the same position as DJI in the drone market, but Garmin is no stranger to flooding the market with all sorts of products to stay ahead of the rest.

A beginner watch suddenly became Garmin’s priority again

Of course, all of this is speculation, at best. Product pipelines for company giants like Garmin are set for years in advance, and no one in their right mind would rush a launch just to fill a market gap. Neither new Forerunner feels particularly rushed, either; if anything, they feel like the logical extension of last year’s Forerunner 570 and Forerunner 970.

One thing is for sure: both watches are set to be incredibly popular with runners. I’ve been wearing the Forerunner 170 Music for less than two days and am already pretty impressed with it. The screen might be smaller and the feature set not quite as extensive as more advanced Forerunners, but that’s exactly the point.

The new watches will be available from 15 May via Garmin UK, Garmin US, Garmin AU and Garmin EU.

Garmin just announced two new watches, the Forerunner 70 and Forerunner 170, after a somewhat long, quiet period in 2026 with little to no hardware launches.

I was lucky enough to get my hands on a Forerunner 170 Music before the official launch on 15 May, and have been playing around with the new running watch for the last day or so.

If you’ve been testing Garmin watches for as long as I have, you know that the press release and the features listed on the website never tell you the full story – there are always ‘hidden’ settings to discover if you look hard enough.

Sometimes, these features jump right at you, like the Evening Report, which quietly debuted in last year’s Forerunner 570 and Forerunner 970.

I remember being at a Kansas City Chiefs game, staring at my wrist, trying to figure out whether I’d seen the feature on any of my previous Garmin devices, asking all the Garmin folks around me to confirm whether the Evening Report was indeed new.

A familiar feature gets a fresh coat of paint

And, funnily enough, the new ‘secret’ setting on the Forerunner 170 is connected to the Reports, both the morning and evening varieties. It’s a subtle personalisation feature that lets you change the first and last screens of your report.

Historically, this was always related to the weather. If it were rainy that day, the report would have raindrops on the screen. Sunny? The report’s first page would feature sun rays. A simple yet effective way to gauge, if even subconsciously, what kind of day you’ll have (and how you should dress for your recommended run).

On the Forerunner 170 (and, I assume, Forerunner 70), you can swap the Weather theme to the following: Art (seen right at the top), Nature, System and Travel (oh la la). Both reports will have the same background.

The tiniest tweaks are often the most noticeable

Another tiny thing I noticed is also (somewhat) connected to the Morning Report. The alarms can now have different vibration patterns, including Beats, Waves and Stampede.

Beats is gentle, while Stampede, as you’d expect, goes hard. It’s nice to have these options, as I’m sure I’m not the only one who was scared out of his mind with a new smartwatch going bonkers with sound and vibration on their wrist in the morning.

I’m sure there will be plenty of new features and settings to find on the watch in the coming days and weeks, on top of the already announced Beginner and Instant Workouts, which I very much look forward to testing.

The Forerunner 70 and Forerunner 170 will be available to buy at Garmin from 15 May.

Garmin has unexpectedly unveiled the new Garmin Forerunner 70 and Garmin Forerunner 170, expanding its running watch lineup with two more affordable AMOLED-equipped wearables aimed at beginner and aspiring runners.

The company's recent wearable releases have largely focused on premium and enthusiast-focused devices, but the new Forerunner 70 and 170 instead push many of the brand’s more advanced training features into a noticeably lower price bracket.

Both watches feature a 1.2-inch AMOLED display, touchscreen controls and Garmin’s familiar five-button setup, combining smartwatch-style visuals with the physical controls many runners still prefer during workouts.

Flagship-style features at a lower price

Despite their more accessible pricing, the new Garmin watches inherit several tools typically found on Garmin’s pricier Forerunner models.

That includes Training Readiness, Training Status, wrist-based running power and running dynamics, as well as adaptive Daily Suggested Workouts and Garmin Coach plans that now support run/walk sessions and lower-volume training.

Garmin has also added a new “quick workouts” feature to the Garmin Forerunner 70, allowing runners to generate workouts based simply on desired duration and intensity.

The watches go beyond running, too. You get advanced sleep tracking, HRV status, Body Battery energy monitoring, breathing variations and access to more than 80 built-in sports apps.

Garmin is blurring the lines between entry-level and mid-range

The successor of the Forerunner 165, the Garmin Forerunner 170 builds on the standard model by adding Garmin Pay contactless payments, while the Garmin Forerunner 170 Music introduces offline music storage and playlist downloads from services including Spotify, Amazon Music and Deezer.

That increasingly makes Garmin’s lower-end Forerunners feel closer to mid-range wearables than basic fitness trackers.

Battery life also remains strong despite the AMOLED screens: Garmin claims up to 13 days in smartwatch mode for the Forerunner 70 and up to 10 days for the Forerunner 170 lineup.

According to Susan Lyman, the watches were designed to include “premium running and training features pulled in from our more advanced Forerunners” while remaining approachable for newer runners.

The new watches will be available from 15 May via Garmin UK, Garmin US, Garmin AU and Garmin EU. Pricing starts at £220 / $250 / €250 for the Forerunner 70, rising to £260 / $300 / €300 for the Forerunner 170 and £300 / £350 / €350 for the Forerunner 170 Music.

Garmin has started rolling out a sizeable new software update for the Instinct 3 series, and while the rugged outdoor watch family is best known for its durability and long battery life, the latest release pushes the lineup further into serious fitness and recovery territory.

System Software 14.14 is now available for the Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED, Instinct 3 Solar, and Instinct E, bringing a mix of new tools, recovery features, and quality-of-life improvements to the Garmin watches.

According to the brand, the rollout has already reached 20% of users and can be downloaded manually through the watch settings menu.

More recovery tools arrive on the Instinct 3

One of the most notable additions is the Recovery Time glance, which gives you a quicker overview of how long Garmin recommends resting before the next hard workout.

The feature has been available on some of the brand’s higher-end running wearables and multisport watches for a while, but its arrival on the Instinct 3 further blurs the line between Garmin’s outdoor- and performance-focused devices.

Garmin has also added a Morning Report card, expanding the personalised daily briefing feature introduced on more premium models in recent years.

The tool summarises sleep, training readiness, recovery information and other health metrics shortly after waking up.

Workout Execution Score is another interesting addition that evaluates how closely you followed a structured workout, helping users understand whether they trained at the intended intensity and duration.

Rugged watch meets everyday smartwatch

The update also adds the Stocks glance for tracking market information directly from the wrist, alongside a new Mobility app aimed at stretching and movement routines.

Backup & Restore support has also been included, making it easier to transfer settings and data between Garmin devices.

The release also introduces dive-aware training guidance that adjusts recovery recommendations after diving, alongside improvements to Body Battery accuracy and several bug fixes affecting GPS, notifications, and activity tracking.

The update continues Garmin’s recent trend of bringing advanced wellness and training features to more affordable, rugged models rather than keeping them exclusive to flagship watches like the Garmin Fenix 8 and Garmin Forerunner 970.

To download the update manually, head to Menu > Settings > System > Software Update on your Instinct 3 smartwatch.

[via Notebookcheck, Garmin]

Garmin has released a new beta update for its flagship outdoor watches, and while version 22.29 doesn’t introduce flashy new tools or training metrics, it addresses one of the more frustrating navigation problems Fenix users have been dealing with for months.

The update, which is now rolling out over the air to compatible devices enrolled in Garmin’s Public Beta Program, applies to the Garmin Fenix 8, Garmin Enduro 3, Garmin Quatix 8 and Fenix 8 Pro/MicroLED models.

According to Garmin’s official changelog, version 22.29 fixes “an issue that could cause the device to exit the map page during route recalculation” alongside a number of other navigation and stability-related bugs.

That line appears to be connected to a long-running issue that caused navigation sessions to fail after GPS interruptions, route deviations, or recalculations.

Users on Garmin’s forums have reported watches unexpectedly ending navigation after briefly losing satellite signal, particularly in urban environments, tunnels or wooded areas.

One Reddit user described the issue as “navigation death on GPS signal loss”, claiming earlier beta versions would sometimes wipe routes entirely after recalculation attempts when using third-party maps.

Yet more updates

Unlike some of Garmin’s recent software releases, which introduced larger additions such as WhatsApp support and Pokémon watchfaces, version 22.29 is almost entirely focused on reliability.

The update also resolves crashes that could occur when routing back to the starting point, fixes resets during software updates, and addresses inaccurate rep counting during strength workouts.

Garmin additionally says it corrected issues affecting maps in multisport summaries and inconsistent battery estimates when switching between power modes.

Owners of the Garmin Tactix 8 should also notice improvements to the watch’s Night Vision colour shift mode, which Garmin says has now been fixed as part of the same release.

Garmin’s software strategy looks increasingly important

Garmin’s update cycle has become one of the brand’s biggest strengths.

While rivals such as the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra tend to reserve major changes for annual hardware launches, Garmin continues to refine the watches people already own through a near-constant stream of software updates.

And for outdoor users, reliability updates arguably matter more than cosmetic additions.

After all, losing navigation halfway through a hike or trail run is considerably more frustrating than missing out on a new watch face.

It's a beta update, so only those who signed up for Garmin's Beta Programme will receive it. The rest will likely get it in the coming weeks.

[via Garmin Forums, NotebookCheck]

Garmin just posted one of its strongest quarters in years. The company says it saw “strength in many product categories… including wearables, which were a significant contributor to consolidated growth,” pointing to a surge in demand for its smartwatches and fitness devices.

Garmin’s fitness segment grew 42% year-on-year, driven by what it calls “strong demand for advanced wearables,” with strong interest across its entire range, from entry-level running watches through to high-end multisport watches.

"Advanced wearables" are driving everything

Garmin’s definition of “advanced wearables” is broader than you might expect and includes most of its core watch lineup, covering devices with GPS, app support and deeper training insights.

The company says growth is driven by higher unit volumes and market share gains, suggesting Garmin is selling more watches overall, not just newer models.

Garmin appears increasingly comfortable playing in the same space as mainstream smartwatches, without losing its edge in fitness and outdoor performance.

Teasing the new flagship

The outdoor segment dipped slightly this quarter, largely because last year’s numbers were boosted by the launch of the Instinct 3. At the same time, the company noted that its Fenix line still performed well despite those tough comparisons, potentially thanks to permanent price cuts.

More importantly, Garmin expects stronger performance later in the year, driven by the timing of upcoming product launches.

Garmin tends to hold back in the first half of the year before rolling out bigger updates later on, and with demand for premium wearables clearly intact, the conditions look right for the new Fenix 9 to drop sometime later this year.

A world beyond smartwatches

“We are planning to launch even more new products throughout the year, including some that represent new categories for Garmin,” the company said.

That’s a big statement, especially with rumours about products such as the Cirqa band circling online.

“Customers want choices when it comes to devices, especially those that they wear… we see this as expanded opportunity for everyone,” the company added, suggesting it’s not overly concerned about new competitors entering the wearable space.

The brand continues to push connected features, including messaging, safety tools and satellite communication (a.k.a. inReach), across more devices.

As the company puts it, “the obvious point of those devices with the connectivity hardware is to use the services… I would expect to see more of those kinds of products coming to market in the future.”

That opens the door to entirely new types of wearables: not just watches, but potentially screenless trackers, smart rings or other connected devices designed to plug into Garmin’s growing ecosystem.

The bigger picture

Garmin’s latest results show a company building from a position of strength.

Demand for its watches is rising across the board, its premium models continue to hold their appeal, and its ecosystem is expanding into messaging, health and connectivity.

Plus, the company says it serves customers who prioritise health and active lifestyles, a group it believes is “probably a little more resilient than what the average reporting out there is.”

That gives Garmin room to push further, both with high-end devices like the next Fenix and with entirely new product categories.

Head over to Garmin for more info.

Amazfit has launched a new high-end running watch for a price tag that puts Garmin's mid-range Forerunners to shame.

The Cheetah 2 Pro weighs under 46g and uses a titanium case paired with sapphire glass, a combination more commonly seen on higher-priced Garmin watches, such as the Epix Pro (even though that only has an MIP display).

The 1.32-inch AMOLED display reaches up to 3,000 nits of brightness (Apple Watch Ultra 3 territory), and there’s even a built-in LED flashlight for low-light conditions (ala Garmin Fenix 8).

The successor of the well-received Cheetah Pro uses a dual-antenna GPS system for improved accuracy and includes new training metrics, such as lactate threshold and running economy assessments.

During races, the watch can also provide real-time projected finish times, a feature typically associated with more established performance-focused running watches.

The company positions the device as a full training companion with built-in programmes covering distances up to the marathon, and its Zepp Coach AI adapts plans based on fitness level and progress.

Post-run analysis includes training load, recovery time, and comparative insights against previous sessions, as well as metrics such as stride time and range of motion.

Battery life has also been extended, too, with Amazfit claiming up to 20 days of use under typical training conditions, based on around five to six (!) workouts per week.

Beyond running, the Cheetah 2 Pro supports over 170 sports modes, including strength training, and can automatically detect exercises and highlight the muscle groups engaged during workouts.

Recovery tracking includes heart rate variability, sleep quality, and cumulative fatigue, with Amazfit’s BioCharge feature providing real-time energy-level indicators throughout the day.

The watch integrates with a wide range of third-party platforms, including Strava, TrainingPeaks, Komoot and intervals.icu.

The Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro is available now at Amazfit UK, Amazfit EU, and selected retailers, with a recommended retail price of £450 / €450 (~$530 / AU$740).

Garmin might not have launched a new smartwatch this week, but it has quietly given its existing lineup something arguably more interesting

The brand has released three new Porsche watch faces via its Connect IQ Store, bringing a touch of Stuttgart styling to compatible Garmin watches.

And unlike a new Fenix or Forerunner, this is one upgrade you can apply in seconds.

The collaboration is inspired by Porsche’s design legacy, with each watch face taking cues from the brand’s distinctive aesthetic and motorsport heritage.

The Porsche Heritage face goes down the classic route, offering an analogue-style layout complete with the famous crest and red accents.

It’s the most traditional of the trio, but still packs customisable data fields and progress bars to keep it firmly in Garmin territory.

If you prefer something sportier, the Porsche Racing face takes inspiration from the legendary Porsche 917, with a bold digital layout that feels closer to a dashboard than a dress watch.

It’s clean, legible and unmistakably performance-focused, blending Garmin’s data-first approach with a more stylised presentation.

Last but not least, the Porsche Pure face features subtle branding, muted tones and just enough red detailing to tie it back to the wider collection.

It’s arguably the most versatile of the three, especially if you want something that looks premium without shouting about it.

A different kind of upgrade

Garmin has been relatively quiet on the hardware front so far this year, with rumours swirling around future launches rather than confirmed releases.

These new watch faces show the brand is still finding ways to keep its ecosystem fresh in the meantime.

If you’ve ever wanted your training watch to feel a bit more premium, this might be the simplest upgrade you’ll make all year.

You can download the Porsche Heritage (Crest) face here.

You can download the Porsche Racing (917 Salzburg) face here.

You can download the Porsche Pure (Wordmark) face here.

Garmin has been suspiciously quiet so far in 2026, a stark contrast to last year, when the brand was on a mission to launch a new product every week. That might be an exaggeration, but being the person in charge of testing Garmin watches, I was pretty busy in 2025.

This year, however, we have mostly had rumours. Everyone's talking about the Cirqua band, the new screenless wearable, which may or may not launch soon. A Whoop-rival band is right on trend, with more people looking for less distracting wearables to track their health and fitness.

I haven't seen a ton of rumours, but 2026 is supposed to be the year Garmin releases the successor of the Fenix 8 Pro, which landed a bit softer than anticipated. The world's first MicroLED smartwatch (it also comes in an AMOLED version) was probably too expensive and had too few unique features for people to consider the upgrade.

It would make sense for Garmin to launch the Fenix 9 with a MicroLED option, but what I’m more interested in is longevity. Even though MicroLED isn’t supposed to drain power, the Fenix 8 Pro offered the shortest runtime of any recent Fenix model.

Even AMOLED Fenix models have shorter battery life than their MIP counterparts, especially those with solar charging. If Garmin could find a way to marry an AMOLED Fenix with its Power Glass technology, that would be a game-changer.

Garmin’s secret weapon for endurance

For the uninitiated, Power Glass is Garmin’s take on solar charging. It’s a transparent layer built into the display that harvests sunlight and turns it into extra runtime, helping compatible watches last significantly longer between charges.

It's not a cheap technology, and it can't outpace the battery drain of AMOLED panels, which is why Garmin hasn't launched an AMOLED + Power Glass watch – yet. It's been years, though, since we've seen a major upgrade to the Power Glass, so it wouldn't be unimaginable to see a new version launch on the Fenix 9.

Garmin operates similarly to Apple, often leading with new innovations while the rest of the industry follows a few years behind. For example, most companies have only recently started adding physical LED lights to their watches, even though Garmin has had this feature for years.

A smarter, faster Fenix

We may or may not see the Power Glass on the Fenix 9, but rumour has it that there are other new features coming. Garmin is expected to continue pushing MicroLED, but in a more mature form than what we saw on the Fenix 8 Pro. That likely means a thinner build and better power management.

The Fenix 9 is widely expected to get a long-overdue processor upgrade. The company has been using variations of the same chipset for a while, so a new platform could bring faster performance, smoother mapping and improved efficiency across the board.

Health and fitness tracking will likely see more incremental improvements rather than headline-grabbing features. A next-generation heart rate sensor is expected, alongside continued work on more advanced insights around recovery and overall health trends.

Garmin has also been investing heavily in its software ecosystem, so more personalised coaching, smarter training recommendations and deeper integration with its Connect platform are all on the cards.

Beyond that, improved multi-band GPS performance, smarter satellite connectivity and small design tweaks, including the possibility of a thinner case or new input methods, have all been mentioned.

The real reason to wait for Fenix 9

For me, though, the biggest upgrade would be the Power Glass update. I can only assume the price will be astronomical, but if the Fenix 9 can crack the AMOLED/Power Glass conundrum, that'd be worth the money.

The Garmin Fenix 9 is expected to land in the second half of 2026, most likely around late summer.

Amazfit has rolled out a substantial software update to its T-Rex lineup, and it’s the kind of upgrade that makes you look twice if you’ve been eyeing a Garmin Fenix 8.

The update, which is now rolling out to models including the T-Rex 3, T-Rex 3 Pro and T-Rex Ultra 2, focuses on three key areas: training, navigation, and sport-specific features.

The standout addition here is lactate threshold tracking, a feature typically reserved for more premium multisport watches.

The watch can now help identify the intensity at which your body starts to accumulate fatigue more rapidly, which can help determine more precise training zones and better pacing guidance over time.

Navigation has also received a noticeable boost, and this is where the update starts to lean into proper adventure / outdoor watch territory.

Offline maps have been expanded with more detail, including terrain and road data, while route guidance has been refined with better rerouting and return-to-start options.

On certain models, you can even plan routes directly on the watch without relying on your phone.

A left-field addition that says a lot

Perhaps the most unexpected addition is a dedicated golf mode, though it’s currently limited to the top-tier T-Rex Ultra 2 model.

With access to tens of thousands of course maps, alongside distance measurements and digital scorecards, it’s a clear sign that Amazfit is expanding beyond its core audience.

Beyond the headline features, there are plenty of smaller tweaks that improve the day-to-day experience.

Sleep tracking has been refined, Bluetooth disconnect alerts have been added, and data screens are now more customisable.

There’s also support for additional niche modes, including recreational diving on certain models.

The gap is getting smaller

Amazfit has long positioned itself as the more affordable alternative in the rugged smartwatch space.

With this update, it’s starting to look less like an alternative and more like a genuine competitor.

You’re still not getting everything you’d find on a flagship Garmin, but the gap is narrowing, and crucially, it’s happening through software, not new hardware.

Amazfit says the update began rolling out in phases on 5 March 2026 and was fully released to all users on 7 April.

To trigger the update, open the Zepp app, go to Profile, select your watch, and tap “System Update.”

Visit Amazfit's blog for more info.

[via Notebookcheck]

Garmin appears to be expanding its social sharing tools with a new feature that will feel instantly familiar to Strava users.

The update introduces transparent activity overlays in the Garmin Connect app.

The feature lets you layer workout stats such as heart rate, distance and pace directly onto images or videos, creating more visually engaging share cards for social media.

While Garmin watches have offered activity-sharing options for years, this new design addition is a clear attempt by the running watch giant to encourage people to share their activities directly from the Connect app rather than on Strava.

The new system adds flexibility, including multiple aspect ratios and a transparent overlay option that can be placed over photos or videos in apps like Instagram.

A familiar idea, with a different execution

The concept itself isn’t new: Strava has long offered similar tools, letting you overlay stats on route maps or export ready-made images for social feeds.

What Garmin is doing differently here is giving users more control over how those overlays are used.

The transparent export option, in particular, allows for more creative editing outside the app, making it easier to integrate workout data into Stories or short-form video content.

To use it, you open an activity in Garmin Connect, tap the share option, choose a format (e.g. 1:1, 4:5, 9:16), then apply a transparent stats overlay that can be exported and layered over photos or videos.

Where sharing gets competitive

Garmin and Strava have been locking horns for the last year, the latter pushing back over the former's request to make the source of athletes' data visible on the platform.

And even though Strava eventually dropped the case, it also made sure it didn't quite deliver what Garmin wanted.

The new transparent overlay from the smartwatch company feels like a jab at Strava, albeit a subtler one.

That said, the move might not have anything to do with Strava, after all, as Garmin's been busy beefing up its Connect app for a while now.

Admittedly, the company have been focusing on the paywalled Connect+ a lot more, but that doesn't mean it has forgotten about the free version of the app.

For athletes, the main thing to note is that now you have multiple options to achieve the same chick look on social media; whether you prefer Strava's or Garmin's take, it's up to you.

[via Gadgets&Wearables]

Amazfit is rolling out a new software update that adds a Garmin watch-style running metric to more of its wearables, continuing its push into performance-focused training features at a lower price point.

The update, version 3.7.0.1, is starting to appear on the Amazfit Active Max and introduces lactate threshold tracking, a metric typically associated with more advanced running watches.

Alongside this, the update also improves sleep-stage tracking accuracy, suggesting Amazfit is refining both its fitness and recovery insights in tandem.

Lactate threshold is widely used by runners to gauge how hard they can sustain an effort before fatigue accelerates, making it a valuable tool for pacing and structured training.

It’s a feature long linked to brands like Garmin, where it’s often paired with guided tests and, in some cases, external heart rate monitors to improve accuracy.

A premium feature, now more accessible

By bringing lactate threshold to a sub-£200 device, Amazfit is continuing a broader trend in the performance wearables space, where features once reserved for high-end multisport watches are gradually filtering down to more affordable models.

The Amazfit Active Max retails for £169 / $170 / €170 (~AU$341), placing it well below many Garmin devices that offer similar advanced running metrics.

While implementation details may differ, the addition alone makes the Active Max a more compelling option for runners looking to train with more data without stretching their budget.

Software is closing the gap

The update highlights how quickly smartwatch capabilities are evolving through software alone.

Rather than launching new hardware, Amazfit is enhancing existing devices with more advanced analytics, narrowing the gap between mid-range wearables and premium sports watches.

This approach is similar to Garmin, famous for supporting its wearables years after their release.

As brands continue to push updates like this, the distinction between entry-level and performance watches is becoming less defined.

This is likely good news for anyone looking to get more out of their training without spending big.

[via NotebookCheck]

Coros has announced a substantial Spring 2026 software update for its watches and app, introducing a suite of new tools designed to help runners plan, execute and analyse their efforts more precisely.

The update marks a clear push into territory long associated with Garmin watches' more advanced training and race planning features.

Pace Strategy is probably the most exciting addition, designed to help runners figure out how fast to run and when.

Not dissimilar to Garmin's PacePro, but simpler and more automated, the feature allows you to build a pacing plan based on either distance or a specific route.

You can select a target distance, such as 5K, 10K or marathon, and set an overall goal time.

The system then generates suggested splits, which can be adjusted to favour even pacing or positive and negative splits.

For trail runners and ultra-distance athletes, Pace Strategy goes further by analysing a route’s elevation profile alongside the user’s current fitness level.

Based on this data, the Coros app generates segment-by-segment target paces that adapt to climbs and descents.

It can also factor in waypoints, such as aid stations, allowing runners to plan expected arrival times throughout an event.

Once synced to a Coros watch, the pacing plan can be followed in real time, with data screens showing whether you’re ahead or behind target pace, alongside estimated finish time and segment progress.

Hill Alerts adds real-time course awareness

Alongside Pace Strategy, Coros is introducing Hill Alerts, a feature designed to provide more context during structured runs.

When following a route in Run or Trail Run modes, the watch can now preview upcoming climbs and descents and deliver alerts as you approach them.

During each segment, users can see key information such as distance, gradient and elevation gain or loss, as well as how much of the climb or descent remains.

Unlike Garmin's ClimbPro, the feature also uses colour-coded difficulty indicators, giving you a clearer sense of how demanding each section of the route will be before you reach it.

Smaller updates round out the experience

Beyond the headline additions, the update includes several smaller improvements aimed at everyday usability.

A new Weekly Distance widget allows users to track their mileage across activities such as running, cycling and swimming directly on the smartwatch.

Coros has also added a Hybrid Fitness activity mode, designed for multi-discipline workouts, with automatic detection when switching between stations.

Other updates include larger font options for notifications, expanded pause controls during activities, passcode protection for added security, and refinements to climbing metrics and statistics.

The update also introduces Zwift integration, allowing workouts created in the Coros app to sync with the platform and completed activities to be sent back to the Coros ecosystem.

A clear move into Garmin territory

The Spring 2026 update positions Coros more directly against Garmin in the race-planning and performance-analysis space.

With Pace Strategy offering route-aware pacing and Hill Alerts providing real-time terrain insights, Coros is moving beyond simple tracking and into guided performance, particularly for trail runners and long-distance athletes.

You can read more about the updates at Coros.

Polar has unveiled a new smartwatch that shows the brand is ready to move beyond the ‘wearables for hardcore athlete’ box it has long occupied.

The Street X leans heavily into durability and everyday wearability, positioning itself closer to rugged lifestyle devices than to traditional running watches.

It has a reinforced polymer case, exposed screws and chunky proportions reminiscent of G-Shock watches, while the lightweight build and 1.28-inch AMOLED touchscreen display (protected by Gorilla Glass 3) keep it firmly in modern smartwatch territory.

Polar says the Street X is “designed for a new generation of sport enthusiasts and health-conscious users whose routines move effortlessly between indoor and outdoor spaces.”

With the rise of hybrid training, including CrossFit and HYROX, many users now expect wearables to track multiple disciplines seamlessly.

That isn’t new in itself (see also: best triathlon watches), but the way these users engage with devices is changing.

Modern hybrid athletes are as interested in how a watch looks as how it performs, which is where the G-Shock-style build of the Street X comes into play.

As Sander Warring, CEO of Polar, says, “The new generation of city athletes want a watch that performs and fits their style.”

“With Street X, we responded to this demand by creating a rugged, design-led watch that combines Polar’s training credibility with bold, everyday wearability and durability at a more accessible price, ready to handle gym sessions, street runs, and daily life with equal confidence.”

The watch doesn’t just look rugged. It is tested to MIL-STD-810H standards and offers WR50 water resistance, suggesting it can handle more than just knocks, bumps and daily wear.

Despite that, the Street X weighs just 48g, which should make it more comfortable for all-day use than bulkier outdoor watches.

Familiar Polar features, new positioning

Despite the design shift, the Street X remains a Polar watch at its core. It supports more than 170 sports profiles and includes established training and recovery tools such as Training Load Pro and Nightly Recharge.

Sleep tracking covers duration, stages and quality, while overnight metrics include heart rate, heart rate variability and skin temperature.

Polar claims up to 10 days of battery life in smartwatch mode, or up to 43 hours of continuous training with GPS and optical heart rate tracking enabled.

A small feature with big implications

One of the more unexpected additions is Polar’s first integrated LED flashlight.

Positioned on the side of the case, it supports both white and red light modes, allowing for quick visibility in low-light conditions without reaching for a phone.

It’s a feature more commonly associated with Garmin watches, particularly the Fenix line, and its inclusion here reinforces the Street X’s crossover appeal as both a training tool and an everyday utility device.

The Street X is available now via Polar and selected retailers, priced at £219 / €249.90 / $249.90 (~AU$415).

At launch, it comes in two colours, Night Black and Snow White, with a third option, Forest Green, available first in a limited batch on Polar’s website, before wider availability in Q2 2026.

Garmin has unveiled a new look for one of its most rugged wearables, and it might be the most visually interesting update the Instinct line has seen in years.

The news came not long after the brand permanently cut the price of its MicroLED watch in the UK and parts of Europe, a month after slashing the price in the US.

Sadly, the new limited-edition Alpine Rush Collection isn't any cheaper than the standard Garmin Instinct 3, but it introduces a set of bold, nature-inspired finishes for the watch.

The lineup includes standout shades like Fern Green, Sunburst and Citrine, each clearly inspired by outdoor environments rather than the muted blacks and greys typically associated with adventure watches.

That said, the Instinct 3 has already been available in a number of exciting colours, which isn't surprising, given it's one of Garmin's best-selling watches among younger demographics who appreciate a bit of personality.

Same toughness, new attitude

Underneath the new colourful polish, you'll find the same reliable, durable Instinct 3 with its no-nonsense approach.

The two options are still AMOLED or a solar-charging lens with MIP display, depending on the model, alongside Garmin’s signature long battery life.

However, not all colours are available on all sizes and screen types.

The Citrine colourway is available as a 45mm AMOLED model, Fern Green comes as a 50mm AMOLED version, and Sunburst is offered in solar variants in both 45mm and 50mm sizes.

All versions have the built-in LED flashlight, inherited from the Fenix line, which has quickly become a fan-favourite feature on Garmin watches.

Health and fitness tracking runs around the clock, covering everything from heart rate and sleep to activity tracking, while you also get all the smart features under the sun, too, including smart wake alarms and lifestyle logging through the Garmin Connect app.

The Instinct 3 Alpine Rush Collection is available now at Garmin UK, Garmin US, Garmin EU and Garmin AU, with prices from £300 / $400 / €350 / AU$729.

Garmin has reduced the price of its most ambitious smartwatch in the UK, with the Fenix 8 Pro MicroLED now listed at £1,500, down from its original £1,730.

The change follows a similar move in the US last month, suggesting this isn’t a temporary promotion but a broader pricing adjustment across regions.

At launch, the MicroLED edition was positioned as a showcase of what the brand could do at the very top end of the market.

It introduced a new display technology to the wearable category, with exceptional brightness and visibility in direct sunlight, and added features such as LTE connectivity and satellite messaging.

Pushing into luxury territory

This level of innovation came with a steep price tag, pushing the watch well beyond even premium multisport models and into territory usually reserved for luxury wearables.

Even within Garmin’s own lineup, the gap between the MicroLED version and its AMOLED counterparts made it a difficult sell for many athletes who prioritise performance over cutting-edge display tech.

The new pricing narrows that gap in a meaningful way, bringing the MicroLED model closer to the rest of the Fenix range and making it a more realistic option for those curious about the technology.

It also lands at a time when the wider Fenix 8 Pro lineup hasn’t generated the same level of momentum as previous generations, with signs that demand hasn’t quite matched expectations.

There are also practical considerations that may have influenced buying decisions.

While the display offers clear advantages in brightness and clarity, battery life in smartwatch mode sits at around 10 days, which is noticeably lower than some other models in the range.

Lowering the cost of entry could help put MicroLED in more hands, which in turn may be key if Garmin wants the technology to move beyond a niche feature and become part of its mainstream lineup.

[via Notebookcheck]

Following a strong 2025, Zepp Health, the company behind the Amazfit smartwatch brand, used its latest earnings call to outline a more aggressive product strategy built around premium devices, AI-led training features, and a steady stream of launches throughout 2026.

Zepp is trying to move beyond affordable fitness trackers and compete in the performance-driven category in 2026, a category long led by more established players such as Garmin.

“We have been transforming Zepp from a traditional wearable hardware company into what we call a hybrid training platform,” said CEO Wang Huang.

“Our goal is not simply to launch competitive devices, but to build a broader performance system that integrates endurance, strength, and recovery.”

More watches, higher prices, smarter features

Recent launches include the Amazfit Active Max, Active 3 Premium and the rugged T-Rex Ultra 2, the latter of which pushes the brand into a new ~$550 price bracket.

That move upmarket is deliberate, with Zepp confirming its plans to “strengthen our premium product lineup” in 2026, pointing to more high-end watches on the way.

After launching around nine products last year, the company expects a similar number, or slightly more, in 2026, suggesting a packed release calendar covering multiple use cases, from everyday training to outdoor performance.

Training features are becoming the main battleground

Amazfit is also investing heavily in software, with features like Zepp Coach and BioCharge designed to deliver structured training guidance and recovery insights.

Looking ahead, the company says it will double down on AI-driven training insights and performance technologies, pushing its devices closer to full coaching tools rather than simple trackers.

The addition of connected devices such as the Helio Ring and Helio Strap reinforces Zepp's new direction of providing guidance rather than devices alone, pointing to a broader ecosystem that works across multiple form factors.

Amazfit is also investing in credibility by partnering with elite athletes and embedding its products in competitive events like HYROX.

It’s a clear move away from lifestyle positioning and toward performance-first use cases, similarly to what Apple is doing by sponsoring the London Marathon.

For us, that means more choice in a category that has been relatively stable at the top. For the industry, it signals a brand that is no longer content with competing on price alone.

With more devices on the way, higher price points, and a growing focus on training intelligence, 2026 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for Amazfit’s watch lineup.

[via Zepp Health]

Garmin wearables have long been some of the best running watches money can buy, but they’ve always lagged behind rivals when it comes to everyday smart features. Now, that’s finally starting to change.

The brand has announced a new WhatsApp app for select devices, allowing you to read, reply to and react to messages directly from your wrist.

It’s available now as a free download from the Connect IQ Store and works with compatible models across the Fenix, Forerunner, Venu and Vivoactive ranges.

Garmin finally gets serious about smart features

Until now, Garmin’s approach to messaging has felt functional rather than fully integrated.

You could see notifications and send quick replies in some cases, but the experience never quite matched what you’d get on an Apple Watch or a Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic.

The new WhatsApp app lets you view recent conversations, read full messages, and reply with a built-in keyboard, as well as send emojis and quick reactions.

You can even scroll through chat history, with up to 10 messages visible on screen.

It’s still tied to your smartphone, so you’ll need your phone nearby with WhatsApp installed, but the experience is far closer to a proper smartwatch messaging system than anything Garmin has offered before.

What the WhatsApp app can actually do

Beyond basic notifications, the app adds a layer of interaction that makes Garmin watches more useful throughout the day, not just during workouts.

Incoming calls can be viewed with the option to decline them, while messages remain protected by WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption, meaning conversations stay private, even when accessed from your wrist.

Garmin says the app is made possible through its Connect IQ platform, and it’s currently the first third-party messaging app available on its watches.

That alone suggests the company is opening the door to a broader app ecosystem.

If that happens, this could mark the beginning of a shift for Garmin, from a fitness-first wearable with limited smart features to something that better balances performance tracking with everyday usability.

It won’t turn a Garmin into a full Apple Watch rival overnight, but Garmin is clearly starting to take the “smart” part of smartwatch a lot more seriously.

You can download the WhatsApp app via the Connect Store for free.

Garmin has unveiled a playful new way to personalise its smartwatches, launching Pokémon Sleep-themed watch faces to mark World Sleep Day.

The launch arrives shortly after Pokémon celebrated its 30th anniversary on Pokémon Day (27 February 2026), marking three decades since the franchise first appeared on Nintendo’s Game Boy.

Available now for free in the Connect IQ Store, the watch faces work with a range of Garmin devices, including models from the Fenix, Forerunner, Venu and Vivoactive line-ups.

Snorlax knows when you’re tired

Garmin has integrated the designs with the company’s Body Battery energy tracking, meaning the Pokémon displayed on the watch face change their expressions throughout the day depending on your energy levels.

When your Body Battery is high, the characters appear happy and energetic, but as your energy drops, they gradually become tired and sleepy.

The “Pokémon Sleep: Snorlax & Friends” features a group of familiar characters, including Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Pikachu and Snorlax, relaxing on Greengrass Isle.

The second option, “Pokémon Sleep: I Choose You,” lets users pick a single Pokémon from a selection of 48 characters.

Bedtime mode kicks in

Garmin has also added a nighttime feature designed to encourage better sleep habits.

The watch face automatically switches to night mode 90 minutes before the user’s scheduled bedtime, based on the sleep schedule set in the Garmin Connect app.

Alongside the watch faces, Garmin confirmed that some compatible devices can now sync sleep data with the Pokémon Sleep mobile app, allowing you to track your sleep and interact with Pokémon within the game.

The new watch faces are available in the Connect IQ ecosystem, which already offers thousands of downloadable apps, widgets and watch faces.

The Pokémon Sleep: Snorlax & Friends face can be found here.

The Pokémon Sleep: I Choose You face can be found here.

Garmin has announced a sweeping software update for a range of its latest smartwatches, adding a raft of new training, health and connected features designed to make its ecosystem more useful day to day.

The update, which is now rolling out, touches everything from personalised coaching and sleep insights to gear tracking and accessibility.

Compatible models include recent flagships such as the Fenix 8 Pro, alongside the Venu X1, Vivoactive 6, Forerunner 570, and Forerunner 970, with some features also arriving in the Garmin Connect app for everyone.

Gear tracking moves to centre stage

One of the biggest additions is a significant expansion of Garmin’s gear tracking tools, a feature that has long been popular with runners and cyclists who like to monitor shoe mileage or component wear.

The new update introduces more gear categories, the ability to create collections, and a built-in database that lets you quickly find specific models when logging equipment.

Gear stats can now also be viewed directly on the watch, complete with a progress indicator showing how close an item is to the end of its useful life.

Training tools get more personalised

Garmin is also expanding its coaching offering with a new Fitness Coach feature that generates personalised plans based on training history and overall fitness.

These programmes span more than 25 activity types and combine heart-rate-based cardio sessions with optional strength work, extending beyond traditional running plans.

A new mixed session mode lets you track multiple activities in a single workout, which should appeal to hybrid athletes (e.g. HYROX, CrossFit, etc.) who don’t want to juggle separate files for circuits or brick sessions.

For race preparation, a course-planning tool lets you map routes with checkpoints, cut-off times, and aid stations, then sync the plan to your watch.

Health insights and lifestyle logging

On the health side, Garmin is introducing sleep alignment metrics that show how closely your schedule matches your circadian rhythm, alongside on-device lifestyle logging.

You can now record behaviours such as caffeine or alcohol intake directly from your Garmin watch and see how these habits correlate with sleep, stress and heart rate variability in reports.

The update also brings a handful of quality-of-life improvements, including live sports scores from major leagues, voice alerts for cyclists using Varia radar, and new accessibility options such as spoken data readouts and colour-blind display modes.

The updates are free and will continue rolling out to compatible devices over the coming weeks via automatic updates or Garmin Express.

We’re used to Garmin charging a premium for its wearables, and, truth be told, that’s part of the appeal. When you spend big on a Garmin watch, you expect top-tier build, features and longevity in return.

That’s especially true for the Fenix 8 Pro, launched last year as the world’s first MicroLED smartwatch, which arrived with a hefty $2,000 price tag. Now, in a move that feels both surprising and welcome, Garmin has quietly knocked $300 off the price of its flagship smartwatch.

I spent some quality time with the watch last year, and it felt a bit like getting a glimpse of the future of rugged smartwatches. The headline feature is, of course, the MicroLED display, which is an eye-wateringly bright panel that delivers exceptional clarity, vivid colours and superb outdoor visibility.

However, the watch is more than just a flashy display. The Fenix 8 Pro also introduces LTE and Messenger functionality, letting you send messages or voice clips directly from your wrist without relying on a phone.

For adventurers, this standalone connectivity, paired with solid battery life that stretches to around ten days in smartwatch mode, adds genuine utility beyond the usual fitness tracking.

In day-to-day use, it feels very much like its predecessor, the Garmin Fenix 8, in the best way possible. The brand hasn’t reinvented the core experience, but it has refined it, layering cutting-edge screen tech and new communication tools on top of an already comprehensive platform.

My and most other reviewers' biggest concern was the price, with the MicroLED model commanding a steep premium over the AMOLED versions.

With this price drop, the Fenix 8 Pro is finally really worth considering, not just for Garmin enthusiasts but anyone wanting to check out what wearables will look like in the near future.

[via Garminrumors]

Garmin may not have announced any new watches outright, but its latest earnings call strongly suggests that 2026 will be a big year for outdoor watches.

During the company’s fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results briefing, CEO Cliff Pemble pointed to an unusually busy roadmap for the segment, which should translate into fresh hardware launches in the coming months.

“We do have a very active year plan for outdoor,” Pemble said, adding that “many of our launches would occur in the back half of the year.”

The focus on the brand's outdoor offerings isn't surprising, considering that Garmin’s usually rock-solid Outdoor segment, the home of the Fenix, Enduro and Instinct lines, dipped 5 per cent in the last quarter.

A crowded field is pushing Garmin to move fast

Pemble's comments suggest the company is trying to reinforce its dominance in the rugged smartwatch segment, which is getting more crowded by the day.

Just today, Amazfit launched the T-Rex Ultra 2, offering a similar feature set to the Fenix 8, but for half its price.

Brands such as Coros and Huawei are also challenging Garmin with their own rugged adventure-wearable concepts.

That said, the Kansas-based company expects growth in the category to accelerate compared to last year, with new products playing a key role.

In the investor call, a Garmin representative said they anticipate “full-year growth in Outdoor to accelerate in 2026… driven by a significant number of new product introductions.”

While Pemble stopped short of naming specific devices, the wording strongly implies multiple launches rather than a single flagship refresh.

Considering the Fenix line was just recently refreshed with a microLED panel, it's unlikely the new set of wearables includes an update to Garmin's flagship wearable.

The Garmin Enduro 3 launched in August 2024, making a successor a likely candidate for 2026.

On the other hand, the Garmin Instinct 3 series launched in January 2025 – a 2026 update feels too soon.

Garmin's outdoor portfolio also includes cycling computers and handheld GPS units, many of which are due for an update.

The outdoor segment has been a steady performer for the company, which surpassed $2 billion in revenue for the first time in 2025, helped by strong demand for adventure watches and the continued success of the Fenix lineup.

Fitness continues to power Garmin’s growth

Garmin's Fitness segment has also had a strong quarter.

The scale of that increase highlights how Garmin’s performance watches, including running and triathlon watches, and everyday fitness devices, such as the recently announced Garmin Venu 4, continue to resonate with a broad audience, even as competition intensifies across the smartwatch space.

Looking ahead, the company said Fitness is likely to be the biggest contributor to its overall growth in 2026, supported by demand across running and advanced wellness products.

At the same time, Garmin is expanding its software ecosystem, adding AI-powered nutrition tracking to its Connect+ platform, a move that signals a deeper push into personalised health insights alongside hardware innovation.

Garmin just issued a fresh update to some of the best outdoor watches, including the Fenix, Enduro and Tactix lines.

System Software 21.25 introduces over 20 new modes and bug fixes to the already impressive set of features on the smartwatches.

The update is currently at 20% rollout, with more wearables set to receive it in the coming days.

It is not a beta update, so everyone with a Fenix E, Fenix 8/Fenix 8 Pro, Enduro 3, or Tactix 8 should receive a notification soon.

The headliner update adds training plans focused on timed cardio and optional strength workouts, bringing the watches more in line with the brand's Forerunner and Venu franchises in terms of training tool availability.

The update also introduces four new glance views. These include a tracker for your favourite sports teams, battery life and performance details, weight tracking, and one that tracks how daily behaviours affect certain health metrics.

On top of this, System Software 21.25 adds more alarm sounds, an activity to record multiple sports in a row, colour filters to the watch settings, and insights to the sleep glance to help you find your ideal bedtime and wake time.

Smart notifications are also being improved, allowing them to be delayed until after the activity.

Finally, the update also adds voice alerts when using a compatible radar device and to the watch settings.

System Software 21.25 fixes seven known bugs, including the issue where the wrong Garmin Coach cycling workout could be loaded when selecting to do the workout.

Even though there haven't been many alpha updates on Garmin watches yet in 2026, the brand has been churning out plenty of beta upgrades over the past six weeks.

These include adding new fitness tools, smarter alarms and outdoor features to the Instinct 3 line, and various bug fixes and feature improvements to the Fenix, Epix and Enduro watches.

The Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED is currently £90 off at EE, down to £789.99, which I appreciate is still a lot of money.

However, as you can see, Garmin tends to support its watches for many years after their release, which might be enough to convince some to invest in a new Fenix.

[via Notebookcheck]

Garmin appears to be on track to introduce blood glucose monitoring on some of its smartwatches, according to recent patent filings.

The invention in question is a method for estimating glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), a key marker of long-term blood sugar control, using optical sensor data from a wearable device.

In essence, the Garmin watch shines tiny beams of light (using its LEDs at the back) into your skin and measures how much light bounces back.

By using several colours of light and comparing how they’re absorbed, the watch can estimate how much of your haemoglobin is carrying sugar.

From that, it calculates an HbA1c value, which is basically a measure of your average blood sugar over the past couple of months.

Not a CGM replacement

It's crucial to understand that the system Garmin proposes isn't to replace continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), and can't track sugar levels every second.

Instead, the patent suggests periodic updates (weekly or monthly), which would fit seamlessly into the Garmin Connect+ subscription service.

The good news is that the new system builds on existing optical pulse sensors in wearables (like those for heart rate and SpO₂), so it might not be limited to upcoming wearables – current-gen watches could also get the update.

It's a published patent application, not a granted patent, and it's worth noting that not all published applications become granted patents.

However, given that smartwatch brands have been working for years to develop non-invasive glucose monitoring, it's likely we'll see this feature land on Garmins soon.

The fact that it won't require a new optical sensor suggests that machine learning algorithms are involved.

Apple published a study last year about using AI to re-crunch data from existing Apple Watches and detect conditions such as pregnancy, using behavioural signals alone.

Expect to see more information surface about the new glucose monitoring in the coming months.

The Garmin Vivosmart 5 fitness tracker is currently 13% off at Amazon, selling for only £112.54 (RRP £129.99).

[via GadgetsandWearables]

Over recent months, I started noticing a weird pattern: I’d wake up feeling… fine, then glance at my wrist and see a sleep score that suggested a sub-standard night of honk-shoo.

At first, I assumed the watch must be right, but the more I dug into it, the more I realised most smartwatches aren’t directly measuring sleep in the way a sleep lab would. Perhaps unsurprising, but it makes you wonder, nonetheless.

Smartwatches estimate your sleep quality using a mix of movement sensors and an optical heart rate sensor (green light PPG), then turn that raw data into sleep stages and a headline score via software.

Even though they don't have lab-level accuracy, smartwatch sleep data is far from useless. Wearables can be genuinely helpful for spotting trends, like whether you’re consistently short on sleep or showing signs of poorer overnight recovery.

However, they can, on occasion, misinterpret certain nights, especially when the sensor signal is messy, or the algorithm confuses quiet wakefulness for sleep (and vice versa). So, if you’ve ever found yourself thinking, "Why does my watch keep saying I slept badly?", these are the smartwatch-and-software factors at play.

What your watch is actually measuring overnight

Before I started blaming my body, I looked at what my smartwatch can realistically “see” while I’m asleep.

For most mainstream smartwatches, such as the Apple Watch Series 11 or the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, it boils down to two inputs: motion (via the accelerometer and gyroscope) and optical heart data. This is a slight oversimplification, but humour me on this occasion.

From these, the software then estimates time asleep, wake-ups, and, on many platforms, sleep stages, along with related metrics such as resting heart rate and HRV, which are often used in readiness or recovery scores.

The key detail is that none of this is the same as a sleep lab, which uses sensors like an EEG to measure brain activity. Wrist-based wearables are working with indirect signals, so they’re usually better at the broad strokes.

Knowing all this, I identified seven potential issues that might make your watch think you had a bad night's sleep, ranging from misread sleep stages to misaligned sensors. Below, I presented all in no particular order.

Your watch’s heart sensor had a “bad signal” night

Most smartwatches rely on an optical heart sensor (PPG) overnight, and it’s surprisingly easy for that signal to get noisy if the watch shifts, the strap is a bit loose, or you move around a lot in your sleep.

When that happens, the software still has to interpret imperfect data, which can show up as odd heart-rate spikes or a strangely low HRV reading.

Those quirks can drag down a sleep or recovery score, even if you feel like you slept fine (and, in fact, you did sleep fine).

I now treat a one-off “bad night” as a sensor-and-fit issue first, and I’ll try wearing the watch slightly higher on the wrist with a snug (not tight) strap, plus a quick sensor wipe, before I change anything else.

Sleep stages are easy to misread

The moment I stopped taking my REM and deep sleep charts 'personally', my sleep data became much more useful.

Sleep stages on a smartwatch are an algorithmic estimate based on indirect signals like wrist movement and optical heart rate data, not a direct measure of brain activity as you’d get in a sleep lab.

Validation studies regularly find wearables can be pretty good at the broad strokes, such as “asleep vs awake”, but only moderately accurate when it comes to splitting the night into neat stage buckets.

Watches can misread “quiet wakefulness”

A big one for me is when I’m lying still in bed, but I’m not actually asleep yet, or I wake up and stay motionless while my brain spins up for the day. I remember once sitting so still while watching a gripping movie that my watch began logging a couple of hours of "sleep".

Because wearables rely heavily on movement patterns (actigraphy-style logic), they can struggle to distinguish between quiet wakefulness and light sleep, which can skew sleep onset time, awakenings, and “sleep efficiency”.

In practice, that can make a perfectly normal night look fragmented, or make it seem like you fell asleep instantly when you didn’t.

Your ‘bad sleep’ score might flag stressed physiology

This is the one that made the biggest difference for me, because it explains why I can sleep for ages and still get a brutal score, which makes me feel even worse.

Many watch ecosystems bake heart-rate patterns into sleep, readiness, or recovery scoring, so a night with a higher resting HR and lower HRV can be labelled “poor” even if you barely remember waking up.

Alcohol is the clearest example: research shows it can raise nocturnal heart rate and reduce HRV during sleep, which is exactly the kind of pattern a wearable will interpret as weaker recovery.

The catch is that the watch can’t tell you the cause. After all, watches know only the date they can sense with their LEDs and information you tell the algorithm (e.g., lifestyle logging on Garmin watches). It can only 'see' your body working harder overnight.

Your sleep "baseline" has shifted

a Jet Lag Adviser feature that can recommend actions and a timeline for reducing jet lag symptoms, includingA lot of sleep scoring is relative, which means your watch isn’t only looking at last night; it’s comparing it to your recent patterns and baseline.

That’s why you might see scores wobble after switching devices, changing how you wear the watch, travelling, ramping up training, and so on.

It can also happen after firmware or app updates, because small tweaks to models and scoring can change what gets labelled as “good” or “poor” sleep from one week to the next.

Some wearables, such as the Oura Ring 4, can provide readiness insights that help track how well you’re adapting post-flight.

Some Garmins, such as the Venu X1, have what's called a Jet Lag Adviser feature, which can recommend actions and a timeline for how to reduce jet lag symptoms, such as when to rest, exposure to light, and other behavioural guidance.

Your watch isn’t the only judge

One thing I’ve come to learn is that a “sleep score” isn’t a standardised metric, so you can’t assume it means the same thing across brands.

Some platforms, such as the Apple Watch, lean heavily on duration and disruption, while others, including Google's Pixel range and Fitbits, fold in recovery-style signals like overnight heart rate, HRV, and stress, which can make the exact same night look “fine” on one device and “poor” on another.

That’s also why switching watches, or comparing a watch to a smart ring, can feel like you’ve suddenly become a different sleeper – it’s often the software’s weighting, not a dramatic change in your actual sleep.

Anything else I should know?

When my watch flags a rough night, I first check whether it’s complaining about sleep itself (short duration, lots of wake-ups) or physiology (a higher overnight heart rate), because those can mean very different things.

Wearables are generally better at the broad strokes of sleep–wake detection than they are at pinning down exact sleep stages, so I try not to overreact to a single-night REM or deep-sleep chart.

Stress can be one of the biggest sleep inhibitors, so if your watch is consistently producing readings that cause it, try a few nights off.

Garmin has just released the beta system software version 13.22 for the Instinct 3 lineup, including the Instinct 3 AMOLED, Instinct 3 Solar and Instinct E models.

Unlike last week's beta update, which only added support for the brand's latest chronograph device, the Xero C2, the latest patch adds a ton of new features.

Of all the big-ticket wearable brands, Garmin is the one that supports its products the longest after release, often up to a decade.

Even though it was only released a little over a year ago, the Garmin Instinct 3 has already seen plenty of updates, some larger than others.

A broad update, even by Garmin standards

Not all models are getting exactly the same feature set via the update, but there are quite few improvements that will land on all Garmin watches concerned.

These include a new Treadmill Walk activity, added support for Trucking features, and various swim-related fixes, such as one that restores missing training menus in Pool Swim mode.

The update also allows customising Morning Report on smartwatches and adds support for Smart Wake alarms.

Garmin also included three inReach-specific updates, such as the ability to view inReach data offline (when connection isn’t available), bug fixes for inReach notifications and long messages, as well as fixing the lag in inReach glance.

Same watch, different perks

Two improvements concern only the Solar / AMOLED / Crossover trio, adding Pack Weight support for Stair Stepper and Floor Climb, and improving the Training Readiness feature.

The Garmin Instinct Crossover model, launched in November 2022, is getting its own set of enhancements, including additional watch faces and fixes for workout animations and incorrect battery life estimates.

Only users who signed up for beta updates will receive these fixes, with the non-beta users expected to see the improvements in the coming months, when the alpha update arrives on their watches.

If you are part of Garmin's Beta Programme and haven't seen a notification about the new update yet, you can manually check it by following this sequence on your watch: Menu → Settings → System → Software Update → Check For Updates.

The Instinct 3 Solar is currently £20 off at Decathlon, while the AMOLED version can be yours for only £319 (RRP £390) at Blacks. T3 has a roundup of the best Garmin deals with even more offers.

[via GarminRumors]

After what feels like an incredibly busy year for the brand, Garmin shows no signs of slowing down.

The company has just unveiled the Varia RearVue 820, a new rearview radar and tail light that builds on the brand’s popular cycling safety tech with smarter vehicle tracking, a brighter light, and significantly longer battery life.

The new radar follows a slew of new releases, including two Approach golf watches, the quatix 8 Pro marine wearable, a new Venu X1 colourway and various feature updates in the Connect app, including Nutrition.

The RearVue 820 introduces what Garmin calls advanced vehicle tracking, using more powerful, precise radar to detect not just approaching vehicles but also their relative threat level.

When paired with a compatible Edge cycling computer or the Varia smartphone app, the system can identify a vehicle’s size (categorised as small, medium or large) and monitor side-to-side movement as it approaches from behind.

Garmin says this allows riders to better understand what’s happening in traffic, rather than simply being alerted that a vehicle is present.

The radar can detect vehicles from over 175 metres away and offers a wider field of view than previous Varia units, meaning it can pick up movement several lanes across, not just directly behind the rider.

Smarter alerts for real-world traffic

Another notable upgrade is same-speed tracking, which alerts cyclists to vehicles that are following at a similar pace or waiting to pass.

Alerts can be delivered visually on Edge head units, audibly via the Varia app, or as vibrations on compatible Garmin watches, with voice alerts currently rolling out via Garmin’s public beta programme on select smartwatches.

The RearVue 820 is said to be Garmin’s brightest radar tail light yet, visible from up to 2km away, and it now doubles as a brake light.

When the system detects deceleration or stopping, it triggers a unique flashing pattern designed to alert riders and drivers behind.

Garmin claims up to 24 hours in day flash mode and up to 30 hours with radar only, making it more viable for long rides, multi-day touring, or endurance training.

Charging is handled via USB-C, and a new seatpost mount is designed to fit most road and gravel bikes cleanly.

The Garmin Varia RearVue 820 will be available from 6 February at Garmin UK, Garmin US, Garmin EU and Garmin AU, priced at £259.99 / $299.99 / €299.99 / AU$469, positioning it as a premium safety upgrade for road cyclists who regularly ride in traffic-heavy environments.

If you’re the proud owner of a Garmin Forerunner 570 or a Forerunner 970 watch and you've spotted a few annoying bugs, you're in luck - there’s a new beta update on the way.

Garmin’s calling it Beta Version 16.17, and while it sneaks in a few useful extras, the main story here is bug fixes. And lots of 'em.

According to Notebookcheck, the corresponding changelog (a software log file showing any updates) is packed with little issues that can quietly ruin the day-to-day experience, especially if you’re the type who actually uses things like course navigation, sports scores or the HRV chart.

What’s new in beta 16.17?

This update is mostly to do with reliability. Garmin lists multiple fixes for problems that could cause the watches to reset, including one specifically linked to viewing the heart rate variability (HRV) chart. If you’ve ever had your watch glitch out when you’re just trying to check recovery metrics, that’s the sort of thing this update is targeting.

Sports fans also get a small but welcome upgrade, with Garmin adding support for showing stoppage time in sports scores. There’s also expanded support for spoken watch face complications, which basically means more things your watch can read out loud if you use voice prompts.

Elsewhere, Garmin says it’s improved the course details page layout, and refined the distance intervals audio prompt so it reports the time for each interval more clearly.

Navigation and course-following also gets attention, with fixes for long course point names, incorrect “stay time” when a course includes a rest point, and even a bug where adding a navigation data screen could cancel an activity.

Golf and indoor cycling aren’t ignored either. Garmin has noted a fix in this release for a golf course green display issue, plus resets that could happen when loading a course for indoor cycling.

How to get it

Garmin said the Beta 16.17 is currently rolling out to Forerunner 570 and 970 owners that are already enrolled in Garmin’s Beta Program. But if it doesn’t land automatically, you can usually pull it manually on the watch by heading to Menu > System > Software Update and checking for updates via Garmin Connect.

For those that aren't signed up to the program, you should receive it in due course.

Garmin is on a roll with watch updates of late - it was only earlier this week the firm announced it will start rolling out a new stable update for its Approach S12 golf watch, called System Software 5.10. And while it’s not adding shiny new features, it will squash a couple of very golf-specific bugs that could genuinely make the watch less annoying to use.

And just before that, Garmin said similar updates will soon be rolling out for the Approach G12 clip-on GPS rangefinder as well as stable updates for other golf wearables, including the Approach S70, S44 and S50.

Amazfit may be preparing its most disruptive rugged outdoor smartwatch yet, with new leaks pointing to a MicroLED-equipped successor to the T-Rex Ultra.

According to recent reports, the device, widely referred to as the T-Rex Ultra 2 in early leaks, could adopt MicroLED display technology, a panel type still considered rarefied even at the very top end of the smartwatch market.

Until now, the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro MicroLED has stood alone in that space, though the company has arguably put just as much emphasis on its satellite messaging capabilities as on the display breakthrough itself.

If Amazfit brings MicroLED to a more affordable, rugged platform, the competitive pressure would be immediate.

Garmin watches have built their reputation on being first to introduce features, from solar charging to advanced training metrics and off-grid safety tools, with rivals often following later at lower price points.

Amazfit has long played that second role, rarely leading on innovation but consistently undercutting Garmin on price while delivering solid, dependable hardware and software.

The MicroLED timing problem

The rumoured T-Rex Ultra refresh also lands at an uncomfortable moment for Apple.

MicroLED has been widely tipped as the next major display leap for the Apple Watch Ultra line, yet reports suggest those plans have been delayed indefinitely.

With Apple effectively sidelined in the MicroLED smartwatch race for now, any credible alternative risks reframing MicroLED as something less exclusive (and less premium) than Apple may have intended.

MicroLED promises higher brightness, better efficiency, and longer lifespan than OLED, making it especially appealing for outdoor-focused watches designed for harsh conditions and extended battery life.

Garmin’s Fenix 8 Pro MicroLED already leans heavily into that narrative, pairing the display with satellite messaging to reinforce its expedition-ready credentials.

The leaks don't detail equivalent satellite infrastructure for Amazfit's upcoming wearable, but it doesn't necessarily need it to disrupt the category.

What Amazfit does have is a track record of offering rugged, feature-rich watches at prices that make Garmin look aspirational rather than accessible.

If the T-Rex Ultra 3 delivers MicroLED without a flagship-level price tag, the competitive conversation shifts from “who has it first” to “who makes it attainable.”

Nothing has been officially confirmed by Amazfit yet, and the company has not commented on the leaks.

However, if the rumours hold, this would be one of the clearest signs yet that MicroLED is moving out of its early-adopter phase.

[via Notebookcheck]

Huawei has confirmed it is working on a new running wearable, marking a renewed push into performance wearables and a return to a category it last explored nearly five years ago.

The confirmation comes via Huawei’s newly announced partnership with the dsm-firmenich Running Team, which includes marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge.

The collaboration centres on the development of a next-generation running watch, with Huawei positioning the device as a serious training tool rather than a lifestyle smartwatch with added sport modes.

While Huawei hasn't announced a product name, launch date, or full specifications yet, the company has described the upcoming smartwatch as being built with direct input from elite athletes.

The company has also confirmed that its latest wearable technologies will underpin the new watch, potentially including its Sunflower positioning system for improved GPS tracking, as well as upgraded heart rate and physiological monitoring from its recent health-focused wearables.

Huawei says testing has already involved a wide pool of runners, suggesting development is well underway, even if a commercial launch remains some way off.

A return to running-first hardware

This is not Huawei’s first attempt at a dedicated running watch. The company previously released the Huawei Watch GT Runner in 2021, a lightweight, AMOLED-equipped sports watch designed specifically for runners.

It offered strong battery life and a solid set of running metrics, but it ultimately sat closer to the mainstream smartwatch market than to specialist GPS watches from brands like Garmin or Polar.

The GT Runner was quietly discontinued after a relatively short lifespan, as Huawei shifted its attention back toward broader health and lifestyle devices, such as the Huawei Watch 5 and the Watch GT 6 Pro.

The newly confirmed project appears to signal a more deliberate return to the performance space, with Huawei openly framing the watch as a tool for serious runners rather than a general-purpose wearable.

Before working with Huawei, Kipchoge had a long-standing partnership with Coros, a brand known for its performance-first GPS watches.

He collaborated with the brand for several years, including the release of special-edition watches, such as the Coros Pace 3 Eliud Kipchoge Edition, linked to his achievements.

While neither Coros nor Kipchoge has publicly commented on the status of that relationship, Huawei’s new partnership strongly suggests the partnership might have come to a natural end recently.

For now, Huawei’s upcoming running watch remains officially unannounced beyond its existence and intent.

There are no confirmed details on pricing, availability, or how the device will compare directly with established running watches.

What is clear is that Huawei is once again aiming to be taken seriously by runners, and this time, it’s bringing one of the sport’s biggest names along for the ride.

[via Forbes, HuaweiCentral]

Garmin’s Approach S12 golf watch launched back in 2021, and if you've got one - you’ve probably got used to it quietly doing its job without much drama.

One thing you might have noticed, though, is that it hasn’t seen a software update in a good while. In fact, the Approach S12 hasn’t had a meaningful software push for roughly two years.

Well, that dry spell is finally ending.

Garmin has announced it will start rolling out a new stable update for the Approach S12 called System Software 5.10, and while it’s not adding shiny new features, it does squash a couple of very golf-specific bugs that could genuinely make the watch less annoying to use.

What’s new in System Software 5.10

Garmin’s changelog (a list of changes made to the watch's software) is refreshingly specific this time round, and basically boils down to two fixes.

The first one tackles an issue with downloaded auto course update files. In plain English, Garmin says the S12 should now correctly pull in teebox, par and handicap data from those downloads, instead of getting muddled.

The second fix is about the “front” and “back” dots on the green. Some users were seeing those markers fail to appear properly on the main golf page, and Garmin says 5.10 sorts that out, too.

So while this isn’t a huge overhaul - for a watch that’s been sitting without updates for years - it’s a tidy little quality-of-life patch that will fix a few annoyances for some people.

How to get it

According to Garmin, the update is currently at around 30% rollout, so you might not see it straight away. Regardless, it’s on the way.

When it does hit your device, you can install it via the Garmin Golf smartphone app or through Garmin Express on a computer. If you don’t have it yet, it’s likely just because Garmin is staggering the rollout.

It’s also worth noting that a similar update is reportedly rolling out for the Approach G12 clip-on GPS rangefinder, and Garmin has been pushing stable updates to other golf wearables recently too, including the Approach S70, S44 and S50.

Garmin might be about to dip its toe into a different kind of wearable - and the first clue has popped up in the most awkward of places: the brand’s own webstore.

A product page for something called the CIRQA Smart Band briefly appeared across multiple Garmin regional sites, including the US, Canada, Brazil, Chile and Mexico, complete with an “Add to Cart” button - all before disappearing again moments later. The link now reads: "Sorry, we can't find that page."

The listing was shared among fans on a Garmin subreddit by someone who unintentionally discovered it while "searching for signs of a smart band on the Connect+ compatible devices page".

While there were no glossy product photos nor feature list on the page, there was enough there for us to assume this was an accidental early listing.

A screen-free Garmin Whoop rival on the way?

The leaked page reportedly showed the CIRQA Smart Band with two size options (S/M and L/XL) and two colourways of Black and French Gray, alongside the part number: 010-04675-00.

Most interestingly, the listing allegedly said it was “Available to ship in 4-5 months”, which - unless Garmin has suddenly started doing pre-orders five months out - points to a potential May/June 2026 launch window.

Support pages for the CIRQA also appeared in several regions around the same time, and those have now been pulled, too, which tends to be the kind of housekeeping you only bother with when you've really messed up.

From what we can see in the listing, the CIRQA doesn’t sound like a Vivosmart-style tracker with a screen.

The "smart band" moniker feels more like Garmin having a pop at a screenless recovery-type band - something that can track health and readiness 24/7 without turning your wrist into a notification billboard. Think Whoop, or Zepp Health’s Helio Strap, where all the insights live in the app.

And if it is in fact true, it will probably go down well with Garmin fans, who have been asking for something like this for ages. Plenty of people want Garmin’s training and recovery smarts without wearing a chunky sports watch to bed.

Will Garmin put it behind a paywall?

Garmin already flirted with the idea of a screen-less band last year with the Index Sleep Monitor, but it wasn't quite what we were expecting.

Despite early speculation, the smart sleep band wasn't part of the new Garmin Connect+ subscription and didn't seem to bring any exclusive paywalled features, for now, at least. Instead, that wraps around your upper arm like a blood pressure cuff and tracks everything from HRV status and sleep stages to breathing variations and skin temperature.

CIRQA, on the other hand, sounds like it could finally be Garmin's answer to Whoop - an “all-day, all-night” band acting as a proper alternative to a watch, not just a bedtime accessory.

The one thing Garmin will need to get right with the CIRQA band is how it handles features.

Whoop’s entire thing is the subscription, and Garmin has traditionally avoided that. However, the brand has started edging more into paid extras lately with Garmin Connect+. If CIRQA ends up being a brilliant band that then asks for a monthly fee to unlock the good bits, that could be a tough sell for long-time Garmin users.

For now, though, all we’ve got is a leaked listing and the fact Garmin hit “delete” faster than it could say "Whoops". Still, when a product page shows up on an official store with sizes, colours and a shipping estimate, it’s usually not nothing.

Garmin has pushed out a new beta software update for some of its most capable outdoor watches, and while it doesn’t add any flashy new features, it fixes a couple of issues that users have been grumbling about.

Beta firmware version 21.18 is now rolling out to eligible Garmin watches, including models in the Fenix, Epix and Enduro families, as part of the company’s ongoing public beta programme.

As is often the case with these interim releases, the focus is firmly on stability and quality-of-life improvements rather than headline-grabbing additions.

One of the most notable fixes addresses a problem with Garmin’s heart rate variability (HRV) data.

Some users had reported that the HRV chart could crash or behave unpredictably when accessed on the smartwatch, which is frustrating given how central HRV has become to Garmin’s recovery and training-readiness features.

Version 21.18 resolves that issue, ensuring HRV data displays correctly and consistently.

Another improvement targets Garmin Messenger, the brand’s built-in messaging app.

Long conversation threads could previously cause lag or stuttering when scrolling on the watch, particularly on models with smaller screens or when messages piled up over time.

The new beta smooths that out, which should make everyday interactions feel snappier and more reliable.

Beyond those fixes, Garmin describes the update as a general stability and user-experience improvement.

As with other Garmin beta releases, some features, such as ECG and dive functionality, may remain disabled until the firmware graduates to a stable public rollout.

Users who aren’t enrolled in the beta programme won’t see the update just yet, but changes like these usually make their way into a wider release once Garmin is happy everything is behaving as intended.

You can enrol in Garmin's Beta Software Programme here.

[via BasicTutorials and NotebookCheck]

Garmin has rolled out a software update for its affordable outdoor watch that adds support for its latest chronograph device, the Garmin Xero C2.

The update, listed as System Software version 12.26, is currently rolling out over the air to certain Garmin watches, including the Instinct 3, Instinct 3 Solar, Instinct 3 AMOLED and Instinct E models.

Rather than introducing broad new fitness or navigation features, this release is focused squarely on device compatibility.

Once installed, Instinct 3 owners can connect to the Xero C2 and view chronograph data directly on their watch, including live readings and session information.

It’s a fairly niche update, but an important one for users who rely on Garmin’s wider outdoor and shooting ecosystem.

What the Xero C2 actually does

The Xero C2 itself is a compact ballistics chronograph designed to measure projectile velocity in real-world conditions.

It’s capable of tracking speeds from roughly 100 to 5,000 feet per second, covering everything from bullets and slugs to arrows and airsoft BBs.

Garmin says the device can record rapid-fire sequences of up to ten shots per second, making it suitable for both casual range sessions and more technical testing.

Going forward, Instinct 3 users can pause and resume measurements when switching firearms or bows, and data can be reviewed either on a paired watch or via Garmin’s companion apps on a smartphone.

Velocity figures can also be exported into compatible ballistics software, allowing shooters to plug real-world measurements straight into their calculations.

Physically, the Xero C2 is built for outdoor use, with a rugged housing, simple button controls and an IPX7 water-resistance rating.

Garmin claims the rechargeable battery lasts around 2,000 shots or roughly 6 hours of continuous use, depending on conditions.

The device is available at Garmin US, Garmin UK, Garmin EU and Garmin AU for $699 / £619.99 / AU$1,249 (~€595). EU price and availability TBC.

Sadly, this update doesn’t turn Garmin’s affordable outdoor watch into something radically different, but it does quietly extend its usefulness, especially for users already invested in Garmin’s specialist hardware.

[via Notebookcheck]

Garmin has launched a brand-new golf watch called the Approach J1 - and it’s not just a “smaller version” of an adult wearable.

Instead, Garmin is calling it the first GPS watch purpose-built for junior golfers. This is thanks to a simpler, more guided on-course experience designed to help younger players learn faster, build confidence and make better decisions without needing a coach hovering over every shot, the firm says.

It’s also been designed to not get in the way, using a slim, lightweight build that’s meant to go unnoticed during a swing alongside a ComfortFit fabric strap sized specifically for smaller wrists.

What's more, it comes in two colour options - cloud blue or lilac - with a matching metal bezel.

The big idea with the Approach J1 is making course management feel less intimidating - and Garmin’s loaded it with features that gently steer young golfers through a round.

The standout is tee-off guidance, which gives real-time suggestions for where to tee off on each hole based on the player’s ability. The main thing here is that this isn’t limited to traditional tee boxes, either - it can point juniors to forward positions across 43,000+ preloaded courses, which is a clever way to make rounds feel more playable without turning every hole into a slog.

There’s also Personal Par, which basically sets a more realistic “par” based on what the golfer actually shoots - and then adjusts as they improve. It even throws in celebratory animations for making par or better, which is exactly the kind of small reward that should help keep kids engaged.

Other handy tools loaded on the Approach J1 include a simple pace-of-play timer, to teach the younger ones not to take forever over every shot, plus club suggestions and distance to the green to help with decision-making.

Garmin says the learning-focused features can be switched on or off as skills progress, so it can scale from first proper rounds to something a bit more serious.

On the spec side, the watch boasts a 1.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen display, water-resistance for playing through rough weather, and up to 15 hours of battery life in GPS mode, which should cover multiple rounds between charges.

Pricing and other stuff

The Approach J1 is available to buy now from Garmin's webstore, priced at £309.99 / $299.99 / AU$499.

And while today’s announcement is very golf-heavy, Garmin didn’t stop at a junior watch. It also revealed the Approach G82 - a new launch monitor/handheld with radar metrics and putting-focused insights - as well as the Xero L60i, a premium range-finding monocular. This, Garmin says, mixes laser range-finding with onboard GPS mapping and a colour display built into the optics.

And for those more serious about their golfing, Garmin also unveiled the updated Tactix 8 - Cerakote Edition, which takes its rugged tactical smartwatch and adds a durable ceramic-polymer coating, plus an AMOLED display.

Unlike the Approach J1, which is very much a junior golf watch for learning, the Tactix 8 is right at the other end of the spectrum, as more of a tactical monster watch for adults. The price reflects that, too, coming in at £1,379.99 in the UK and $1,599.99 in the US. Gulp.

If none of these watches are up your street, and you're wondering which Garmin watch is for you - check out T3’s best cheap Garmin watch deals roundup and our best Garmin buying guide.

Every time I set up a new Garmin watch – which happens more often than you'd think – I go through the same routine: notifications, training screens, widgets, watch face, followed by switching off Pulse Ox.

It’s the one feature that consistently damages battery life while rarely adding anything meaningful to how I actually use my smartwatch.

Blood oxygen tracking sounds important, and in medical settings it absolutely is, but on a wrist-based consumer wearable it mostly exists as a passive wellness metric, collecting numbers that are difficult to interpret and even harder to act on.

Garmin (and other brands) uses it to display overnight oxygen trends, support altitude-acclimation features (how often do you need to use this?!), and add another layer to its health ecosystem.

Yet, in everyday use, graphs related to blood oxygen tracking rarely tell a story beyond confirming that you are, in fact, breathing.

On the other hand, Garmin itself warns that Pulse Ox is one of the most power-hungry features on its watches, and in real life, the difference between having it enabled and disabled can be quite significant.

Data without direction

Apart from draining the battery, my other issue with SpO₂ is that it rarely changes behaviour. If my oxygen saturation dips slightly overnight, I don’t train, recover, or, quite frankly, feel any differently.

Unlike heart rate variability, resting heart rate or training readiness, it doesn’t translate into decisions, which makes it feel less like an insight and more like background noise.

I'm not saying it's completely pointless to everyone, though. At altitude, during illness, or for users tracking breathing conditions, SpO₂ can add useful context.

However, for most healthy, in-training Garmin owners, it’s a curiosity that makes your watch's battery die days earlier than it should. Sleep-only tracking is a reasonable compromise, but even that tends to fade into irrelevance once the initial curiosity wears off.

This might all change once Garmin figures out how to use AI to comb through existing data and provide meaningful training advice based on more obscure metrics (e.g., SpO₂), but until that happens, I'll be turning Pulse Ox off on my Garmin.

Garmin has started pushing out a new stable update to three of its recent smartwatch releases.

They are: the Venu 4, Venu X1 and Vivoactive 6.

The update comes in the form of software version 15.52, and while it’s the first stable release for these models in 2026, it’s not exactly the kind of update that people will get excited about. In fact, Garmin’s own release notes are so light on detail they’re almost comical.

The company says 15.52 is rolling out in phases (currently around 20% of users), so you might not see it on your watch right away. But if you’re the sort of person who checks for updates the second they’re mentioned on a forum, be sure that it's out there, somewhere.

What’s actually changed in 15.52?

The details are quite thin on the ground for what these updates will actually mean for these specific Vivoactive and Venu watch users. But Garmin lists just two items in the changelog: “changes to support manufacturing" and “various bug fixes and improvements". And that’s your lot.

The first line is the strangest one. “Support manufacturing” sounds like the kind of behind-the-scenes tweak designed for production batches rather than anything you’ll notice on your wrist. Garmin doesn’t explain what’s been adjusted, and it also suggests this update probably isn’t adding any new features you’ll be playing with.

The second line - “bug fixes and improvements” - is classic firmware-speak, but it’s still a bit annoying when you don’t know exactly what’s been fixed, or whether it applies to you.

So, if you were hoping this would be a “finally!” kind of update, early signs suggest it’s, err, not and instead is likely to be more of a quiet maintenance drop.

The update doesn’t appear to address reports from some Vivoactive 6 owners who say the display isn’t working as expected. And there are also users who’ve had issues connecting the Venu 4 to a Schwinn IC4 spin bike, which doesn’t seem to be resolved here either.

Nevertheless, if you want to check for it manually, you can do that directly on the watch by heading to: Menu > Settings > System > Software Update. Otherwise, it should arrive automatically through Garmin Connect Mobile or Garmin Express as the rollout expands.

The idea of a heart-rate monitor might sound a bit pointless if you’ve already got one built into your running watch, but what many people don’t realise is that, for those more serious about their fitness data, these monitors can offer way more accurate results.

Don’t get me wrong, wrist-based heart rate tracking on smartwatches has improved loads over the years, but if you do anything with quick spikes (such as HIIT, intervals and circuits) or you just want cleaner, more consistent numbers, a dedicated HR monitor always wins.

And once you start training in zones, pacing workouts, or simply trying to avoid going too hard every session, accurate heart rate suddenly feels way more relevant.

I’ve used chest straps for years, but I also get why loads of people hate them. They can feel restrictive, they can slip if you don’t get the fit right, and not everyone wants to strap themselves up like they’re a lab experiment.

The good news is, there’s much more choice nowadays. If you want the most accurate traditional option, that’s still there, but if you’re looking for something comfortable without sacrificing accuracy, that’s also an option.

And with that, these are the top three heart rate monitors I recommend, depending on user preference and workout type.

Best overall

Garmin HRM 600

If you’re the kind of person who just wants the most reliable “classic” option, the Garmin HRM 600 has to be the best chest strap out there. As far as chest straps go, it’s comfortable, built to survive years of sweat, and delivers consistently stable heart rate data.

Where it really shines, though, is if you’re already in the Garmin ecosystem. It pairs really nicely with other Garmin devices like cycling computers and watches, and adds extra layers, like storing data when you’re training without your watch, which is handy for team sports, gym sessions, or if you just don’t want to wear your watch.

For runners, it provides additional running dynamics data based on your setup. It’s also the best heart rate monitor where accuracy is paramount, for example, interval runs, or anything where I’m using heart rate to control effort rather than just collecting pretty graphs. If you want a heart rate monitor for more serious training, this is the one to go for.

Best arm band

Polar Verity Sense

If having a tight band strapped around your ribs sounds a bit claustrophobic, the Polar Verity Sense is probably your best bet.

This optical sensor looks more like a smartwatch, with a strap of a similar size, but the main difference is where you wear it. Strapped snugly on your upper or lower arm, it doesn’t need to be around your chest, but it still tends to get a much better read than your wrist during movement-heavy workouts.

In my testing, it was reliably accurate for runs, steady-state cardio, gym sessions and even sweaty circuit work where wrist HR might not give you the most accurate reading. It’s also more comfortable and less restrictive than a chest strap, and doesn’t need readjusting as much - so much so that you forget you’re even wearing it.

It’s also a genuinely versatile little unit. You can connect it over Bluetooth and ANT+ to watches, gym kit and apps, and it’s especially handy if you bounce between platforms as I do. If you’re someone who trains in classes, uses a treadmill one day and runs outside the next, it just fits into everything without needing constant tinkering.

Best all-in-one

Myzone MZ-Switch

The MZ-Switch is the heart rate sensor I’d recommend if you want more flexibility without owning multiple HR monitors. Its biggest selling point is its versatility, with a design that lets the sensor be clipped to multiple band sizes – from chest to arm – each included in the box.

Like the Polar Verity Sense, this makes it worth considering if your workouts change day to day. It can be a chest strap for intervals or harder sessions where you want the best accuracy, an arm band for strength training (where chest straps can feel annoying), or a wrist if you just want something quick and fuss-free.

The other reason it stands out is the Myzone ecosystem. Their tech is properly established in gyms and studios for zone-based training, and if you like that “gamified” approach (effort points, HR zones on screens, training targets), it’s one of the slickest systems going.

Good to know

If you want the simplest, most comfortable upgrade from wrist-based heart rate tracking, I’d start with the Polar Verity Sense. It’s accurate enough for the vast majority of people, it’s easy to live with, and you’ll actually wear it, which is the most important thing.

However, if you like the idea of one device that can adapt to whatever training you’re doing, the Myzone MZ-Switch is probably the most practical option, especially if you’re into zone-based training and gym classes.

And if you're after the most trustworthy, traditional option for proper training sessions, the Garmin HRM-Pro Plus is still the gold-standard chest strap style pick - especially if you’re an existing Garmin user.

We didn't have to wait too long in 2026 for a new Garmin release.

The new quatix 8 Pro is officially aimed at mariners, but its biggest upgrade has nothing to do with anchors or autopilot.

Instead, it brings inReach satellite connectivity and LTE calling directly to the wrist.

The tech, first introduced in wearables in last year's Garmin Fenix 8 Pro, lets you send messages, share your location, make calls, and trigger SOS alerts, even when you’re miles beyond mobile coverage.

(It's worth noting that voice calling is handled exclusively over LTE when cellular coverage is available.)

In practical terms, it means the new Garmin watch can stay connected up to 50 miles offshore via satellite networks, then switch to cellular when coverage returns.

When saltwater meets lifestyle

The 47mm case features a titanium bezel, sapphire lens and a 1.4-inch AMOLED display, with battery life rated at up to 15 days in smartwatch mode.

It also includes Garmin Pay, 24/7 health tracking and more than 100 activity profiles, from wakesurfing and waterskiing to weight training and gym sessions.

Garmin’s new Boat Mode reinforces that split personality. When activated, it brings marine controls like autopilot, trolling motor and vessel data to the front of the interface.

When deactivated, the watch reverts to a more conventional smartwatch layout for everyday use.

Beyond connectivity, quatix 8 Pro can also control onboard systems, including chartplotter voice commands, entertainment systems, lighting and compatible trolling motors, all directly from the watch.

Garmin says the goal is simple: keep users connected, informed and safer when a phone is impractical or impossible to carry.

That safety element is reinforced by Garmin’s SOS system, which connects users to a 24/7 response centre experienced in coordinating marine incidents worldwide.

A very Garmin kind of flex

Quatix 8 Pro doesn’t try to hide its specialist marine watch nature.

The combination of AMOLED, premium materials, long battery life and satellite connectivity makes it feel like part of Garmin’s wider push into more lifestyle-friendly, ultra-capable wearables.

It’s also another reminder that Garmin now operates in a very different smartwatch lane to most of its rivals, one where satellite communication, weeks-long battery life, and serious navigation features are becoming the norm rather than the exception.

Quatix 8 Pro will be available from 16 January 2026 at Garmin UK, Garmin US, Garmin EU and Garmin AU, priced at £1,139.99 / $$1,299.99 / €1.299,99 / AU$2,299.

InReach subscription sold separately.

Garmin owners are beginning to notice a new software update appearing on their watches, and while it doesn’t come with flashy new features or headline-grabbing redesigns, it addresses some of the most persistent frustrations users have been living with for years.

The update, known as Beta version 25.08, is currently rolling out to older high-end Garmin smartwatches through the brand’s public beta programme.

That includes models such as the last-gen flagship Fenix 7, ever-so-cheap Epix Gen 2, the battery-bruiser Enduro 2, the marine specialist Quatix 7, and the ultra-premium MARQ Gen 2.

Navigation has long been one of Garmin’s biggest strengths on paper, yet also one of its most complained-about areas in day-to-day use.

As a result, in this beta, Garmin has focused squarely on improving the Maps experience.

Issues that caused visual glitches during route previews have been fixed, and a particularly frustrating bug that could cause watches to shut down while downloading maps has also been addressed.

If you've ever tried to follow a route offline with one of the Garmins listed above, you know how essential this update is.

The invisible friction

The update also resolves problems with data fields not displaying correctly on certain watch faces, another small but persistent annoyance that has lingered across several software generations.

Not everything is perfect yet. ECG functionality remains disabled in this beta build on supported models, suggesting the company is still working through regulatory or software hurdles before re-enabling it later in the testing cycle.

That alone is a reminder that this is still pre-release software, and not something every user should rush to install.

Beta 25.08 won’t transform your wearable overnight, but it makes the experience more reliable, more predictable and more pleasant to live with.

And if this build is anything to go by, the most valuable Garmin updates in 2026 may not be the ones that add features, but the ones that finally get the foundations right.

You can sign up for Garmin's Beta Software Program here.

[via NotebookCheck]

Garmin has been beyond busy over the past year, rolling out new watches at a pace that would make most rivals nervous.

From iterative updates to full-blown technological flexes, the brand has barely gone a month without announcing something new.

Among those launches was the world’s first MicroLED smartwatch, the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro, alongside several refinements to its established ranges.

Tucked into that relentless release schedule was a more divisive model: the Garmin Venu X1.

Unlike most Garmin watches, which lean heavily into rugged design language and outdoors-first functionality, the Venu X1 marked a noticeable shift in direction.

Its square case, slim profile and softer styling felt intentionally different, and that was very much the point.

The controversy around the Venu X1 wasn’t about performance. Instead, it stemmed from what the watch appeared to represent.

With its shape and proportions, the Venu X1 looked like a clear attempt to appeal to users who like the aesthetic of the Apple Watch but want Garmin’s fitness depth and battery life.

Crucially, the similarities end with the silhouette. Under the hood, the Venu X1 remains unmistakably Garmin.

It boasts the largest display the brand has ever fitted to a smartwatch, paired with its thinnest case to date, yet still delivers around a week of battery life.

That combination alone sets it apart from most lifestyle-focused smartwatches on the market.

Reading the room

Garmin also seems well aware that buyers drawn to this type of device care deeply about how it looks on the wrist.

This helps explain why the Kansas-based brand has now quietly introduced a new Soft Gold colourway, complete with a titanium caseback and French Grey nylon band.

Sadly, the Venu X1 still retails for twice as much as the Apple Watch Series 11 (RRP £679.99 / $799.99 / AU$1,499).

It’s a subtle update, but one that reinforces the Venu X1’s positioning as Garmin’s most style-conscious smartwatch, and a reminder that design, for once, is part of the headline.

Head over to Garmin UK, Garmin US or Garmin AU for more info.

Hot off the floor of CES 2026 is a team-up announcement from Meta and Garmin for a way to control your car systems using gestures.

Garmin revealed its Unified Cabin suite system as a do-it-all proof of concept, showing how passengers can control the car's infotainment in interesting ways. To make this as intuitive as possible, it uses Meta's Neural Band for interactions.

Passengers in the car are able to use gestures sensed by the band – which currently comes as part of the Meta Ray-Ban Display package to control your smart glasses. It means – using the thumb, index finger and middle finger – it's possible to prompt a wide range of controls to subtly interact with the car's systems.

This concept is a working example of how infotainment systems in cars could be interacted with using gestures. This should offer a super minimal entertainment experience for multiple passengers – all while allowing them to lean back and stay in control throughout.

The Meta Neural Band uses EMG technology to detect a rich set of gestures that can make interacting with computers, other wearables, and now cars feel like a natural and intuitive experience.

While this tech is currently able to detect clicks, scrolls and dials, it could be smart enough to learn to translate the subtleties of finger handwriting movements into digital text.

Alex Himel, Meta's vice president of wearables, said: "Meta Neural Band and its EMG technology could be the best way to control any device.

:Once you start using the band regularly, you want it to control more than just your AI glasses.

"We've already developed prototype experiences for the band to control devices in your home, and it's been great to team up with Garmin to showcase its potential in your car."

Garmin Unified Cabin and Meta Neural Band: pricing and availability

The Garmin Unified Cabin is currently a proof of concept which could inspire future car manufacturers to use this or similar system setups in the near future.

The Meta Neural Band is available now with the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses. These are currently exclusive to the US and are priced at $799.