Garmin Fenix 7 and Fenix 7 Pro receive fix for sensor pairing issues before stable update release

The Fenix 7 and Fenix 7 Pro (curr. $649.99 on Amazon) are now last-generation smartwatches. As such, they are no longer the focus in Garmin's software development. Instead, their places have been taken by the Enduro 3, Fenix E and Fenix 8, which receive dozens of bug fixes, new features and other improvements every month or so.

The last few weeks have marked a flurry of developments for the Fenix 7 series, although not necessarily in the ways that Garmin may have hoped. Initially, the company finalised its latest around of beta development before rolling out System Software 20.16 on its stable software branch.

The rollout of System Software 20.16 coincided with the expansion of ECG compatibility across Europe and the UK, too. However, reports then emerged of a bug shipping with the same update that prevented external sensors from connecting automatically during activities, such as heart rate monitors (HRMs).

Now, Garmin hopes to have resolved this issue, which it is distributing in Beta Version 20.21. According to the company, the update should have already reached 50% of public beta testers. Garmin has kept ECG functionality disabled in the new beta, though. As a result, it seems likely that Garmin will deliver at least one more beta update before moving to a stable equivalent. For reference, the full changelog from System Software 20.16 should be as follows, including those that Garmin introduced with Beta Version 20.19.

• Fixed BLE sensor names clearing.
• Fixed crash on jump rope activities.
• Fixed crash when failing to pair headphones.
• Fixed grade not updating.
• Fixed pairing with CT10.
• Fixed possible crash during long activities.
• Fixed possible crash when moving golf pin position.
• Fixed sensors not automatically pairing.
• Fixed toggling auto broadcast heart rate.