Garmin releases new update to cheaper smartwatches with over half a dozen changes and improvements

Garmin has just released a new stable update for the Forerunner 70 and Forerunner 170 (curr. $349 on Amazon). As we have covered separately, System Software 9.21 introduces a few changes missing on older builds. Now, the company is pressing ahead with a new beta update for both smartwatches.

Specifically, the pair are more eligible to receive Beta Version 18.27. Replacing Beta Version 18.19, the new update is said to have already reached around 30% of smartwatches enrolled in Garmin’s Beta Program. Typically, Garmin takes a few days to finish a beta rollout.

To skip the company’s phased rollout, one can download Beta Version 18.27 from:

Reportedly, Beta 18.27 contains half a dozen overarching changes. However, one of these lines reports to have fixed 'various' unspecified issues. Additionally, the new beta should improve always-on display functionality by ensuring that new settings always take effect. The full changelog between Beta Version 18.19 and Beta Version 18.27 is as follows:

• Fixes a potential issue with the display that could cause unexpected behaviour and inconsistent gesture response.
• Fixes an issue that could cause the always-on display setting to fail to take effect.
• Fixes an issue where alert tones could fail to play during an incident detection.
• Fixes an issue with button tones failing to sound.
• Fixes other minor issues.
• Updates translations.