Garmin releases new update for high-end smartwatches but serious bugs still present

Hardly any time has passed since Garmin furnished the Fenix 8 and Fenix 8 Pro (curr. $1,199 on Amazon) with a new beta update. Nonetheless, the company has pressed ahead with a fresh build before the end of the week.

To recap, Garmin released Beta Version 23.24 on August 13, the eighth so far in this beta cycle. As we discussed at the time, the update contained over half a dozen changes. However, some of these were specific to Pro-branded smartwatches and the Tactix 8. Now, Garmin has transitioned its public beta testers to Beta Version 23.25, which it has issued as an over-the-air (OTA) download.

Hence, the update should arrive automatically if you have enrolled your Fenix 8, Fenix 8 Pro or associated smartwatch in Garmin's Beta Program. Unfortunately, Garmin has not been forthcoming about the changes it has made between Beta Version 23.24 and Beta Version 23.25.

Instead, it has reproduced the changelog from Beta Version 23.24. The discrepancy has not gone unnoticed by beta testers on Garmin’s forums, either. Worse still, multiple Fenix 8 owners complain that existing bugs remain. Reportedly, frequent rebooting issues are still present in Beta Version 23.25, as are bugs that prevent displays from waking up correctly. At this stage, it remains unclear when Garmin will release a new stable update based around recent v23.xx beta development.