Garmin releases major new update to older high-end smartwatches with new sleep feature
Garmin has now delivered a new stable update for the Fenix 7 and associated smartwatches, almost three months after issuing System Software 20.22. Also available on other smartwatches like the Tactix 7 (curr. $1,199 on Amazon), System Software 21.19 is the result of over ten beta builds between Beta Versions 21.04 and 21.19.
Like the Fenix 8 series before it, the Fenix 7 and its peers have not received all the changes that Garmin has been recently beta testing. By our count, the company had pushed 37 between Beta Versions 21.04 and 21.19. Nonetheless, System Software 21.19 brings two dozen changes to the table, including breathing variations insights that are also available on the Forerunner 570 and Forerunner 970. While Garmin stresses that this is not intended for medical diagnosis, the feature uses pulse Ox data to provide insights into breathing patterns as one sleeps.
On top of that, the new update adds unlock icons to Garmin's sensor details page and updates the running track database with new tracks. Meanwhile, System Software also introduces 16 bug fixes, the full list of which we have included below. Please see Garmin's forum posts linked below and the full System Software 21.19 changelog for more information.
- Added Breathing Variations Support.
- Added unlock icons to sensor details page.
- Fixed audio prompts reverting to English after power cycle.
- Fixed body battery and stress disappearing from glance history.
- Fixed CIQ watch face lag during screen transitions.
- Fixed custom text responses resetting to default.
- Fixed device automatically reentering sleep mode when manually ended.
- Fixed ending and tracking naps started without a nap timer.
- Fixed GameOn app not pairing.
- Fixed Golf activity not showing yardage to hazards in tournament mode.
- Fixed Incident detection activating during unsupported activity types.
- Fixed nautical display units on activity summary.
- Fixed possible crash in the Garmin Coach widget.
- Fixed possible crash when moving golf pin position.
- Fixed short distance during run and walk activities.
- Fixed strength activity weight being changed on the rep edit and weight screen.
- Fixed Taiwan coordinate issue.
- Fixed translation issue on the sleep watch face.
- Improvements to secure sensor pairing menus.
- Improvements to golf club sensor menu.
- Miscellaneous fixes for Live Activity.
- Updated Running Track Database.
- Updated Translations.
- Various bug fixes and improvements.
