Garmin: New software update makes some smartwatches usable again

Garmin has returned to the Instinct 3 series with a new beta update. To recap, the company issued Beta Version 14.14 in early May. Shortly afterwards, it transitioned v14.14 to its stable software branch as Software Version 14.14 with multiple new features compared to older v13.xx builds.

Typically, this transition would mean that Garmin had finished v14.xx beta development. However, it has now already delivered v14.15 to Beta Program participants. In a forum post, Garmin clarifies that it has resolved an issue where garbled characters could display on the heart rate broadcast screen in older firmware. Additionally, Beta Version 14.15 contains two bug fixes specific to the Instinct E (curr. $199 on Amazon).

On the one hand, the new update is said to fix an issue similar to the one affecting other Instinct 3 and Instinct Crossover AMOLED smartwatches. On the other hand, the new update should address a bug that prevented the Instinct E from unlocking after entering a correct passcode. Beta Version 14.15 is being isued as an over-the-air (OTA) update, a process that tends to take a few days to complete. Please see Garmin's forum post for more details.