Garmin's best smartwatches and cycling computers just got even better. Products including the Garmin Fenix 7X and the Garmin Epix (Gen 2), the Garmin Instinct 2 and the Edge 1040 series are getting some great new features in their latest software updates.
Let's start with the smartwatches. The new software update is getting improvements to SatIQ that'll automatically switch on multi-band GPS in areas where you need it and turn it off in areas where you don't, which should make a big difference to battery life. There's Heart Rate Variability (HRV) tracking, a Race Widget with race prep information, performance predictions, next-day weather and a countdown clock, and there's a stock tracker for wearers who can't miss a movement in the stock market even when they're working out. The training status has been improved too to give you more data and insights into how well you're training.
What's coming to the Edge 1040 cycling computers
For cycling computers, the software update is bringing music controls that you can use to control your smartphone music app; the same improved training status reporting as in smartwatches; intensity minute tracking so you can see how many intensity minutes you earned during each ride; and full eBike support, enabling you to connect ANT/ANT+ compatible eBikes to view custom data, adjust assistance levels and see if you have enough range to cover the course you've planned to ride.
The new software is available now and should install automatically if you have automatic updates enabled.
These are welcome updates to what are already very good devices: in our Garmin Edge Solar review we said it was head and shoulders ahead of the competition, and we described the Fenix 7X as the king of multi-sport watches. It's good to see Garmin continuing to add new features and improved information even after it's got your money; that's the kind of customer care that keeps people loyal across multiple generations of devices.
