Garmin: New update brings over a dozen improvements to high-end smartwatch

Garmin has posted another software update for one of its high-end smartwatches. This time, the company has returned to the Fenix 8 Pro (curr. $1,199 on Amazon) with a new beta update. For context, the Fenix 8 Pro was ineligible to receive the Fenix 8's Beta Version 23.185 update, which arrived earlier this week and has since been renamed as Beta Version 23.18.

Nonetheless, Garmin mentions the changes that Beta Version 23.18 contained in its Beta Version 23.19 changelog. In a forum post, the company clarifies that Beta Version 23.19 carries over a dozen bug fixes from Beta Version 23.18 that were previously unavailable to the Fenix 8 Pro. Meanwhile, v23.19 brings three additional bug fixes to the table itself.

As a result, Garmin has found 15 bugs that were present in v23.15 software. Of those listed below, four are dedicated to resolving problems that cause device resets or system crashes in some instances. Reportedly, Beta Version 23.19 should have reached around 20% of Fenix 8 Pro owners who have enrolled their smartwatches in Garmin's Beta Program. Please note that the new update keeps Dive and ECG functionality disabled. The full changelog between v23.15 and v23.19 for the Fenix 8 Pro is as follows:

• Fixes an issue that caused the spoken time and date to fail to sound each hour.
• Fixes an issue that could cause an audio spectator message to be cut off before it is complete.
• Fixes an issue that could cause music to switch to the speakers when headphones are turned off.
• Fixes an issue that could cause the device to reset when playing music during an activity.
• Fixes an issue that could cause the device to reset when saving an activity.
• Fixes an issue where button tones are barely audible or not audible.
• Fixes an issue where device can't connect to NTN after send failure.
• Fixes an issue where device will crash shortly after auto dive starts.
• Fixes an issue where no goal pace or goal time options are available when creating a PacePro plan on the device.
• Fixes an issue where no spoken time or date will play if hourly alert chime is enabled.
• Fixes an issue where pressing back or palming the screen would fail to cancel the spoken watch face.
• Fixes an issue where user can't apply backup dive computer settings if settings are coming as a bundle.
• Fixes an issue where users can edit map data when there is not data to edit.
• Fixes other minor issues.
• Fixes various issues that could cause the device to reset.