Garmin fixes smartwatch HRV issue in new beta update

Garmin has issued a new beta update, version 21.18, for the Fenix 8, Fenix E, Enduro 3 and Tactix 8 smartwatches. It arrives around a week after the previous release in the 21.xx testing cycles; version 21.17 addressed four problems with these smartwatches, including a bug linked to GPS navigation.

Beta version 21.18 brings two more bug fixes to the Fenix 8 and related smartwatches. The first tackles an issue linked to the Garmin Messenger app, where users were experiencing lag for longer message threads. The second resolves a problem with the heart rate variability (HRV) chart, which could crash upon user interaction.

According to a recent post in the Garmin forum, this update has been pushed over the air (OTA) to around 50% of eligible users of these smartwatches. It remains to be seen when this rollout will be complete. As usual, the ECG, Dive and Aviation features are disabled during beta testing. It is unclear when a stable version of the 21.xx software will roll out to all users of the Fenix 8 (AMOLED 47mm Orange curr. $1,099.99 at Amazon), Fenix E, Enduro 3 and Tactix 8 smartwatches. This is expected to bring a new setting which allows users to switch off navigation guidance until a direction is imminent.