Garmin smartwatches get new beta update with improvements and bug fixes

The Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED, Instinct 3 Solar, Instinct 3 Tactical, Instinct Crossover and Instinct E smartwatches are receiving a new beta update. The beta version 12.19 software arrives just a few days after the beta version 12.18 release.

The change log for Garmin beta version 12.19 simply states that it brings “miscellaneous bug fixes and improvements”, without detailing these issues. As such, it is unclear whether the company has again tackled problems linked to the faster-than-expected battery drain, as noted with version 12.17. Apparently, this bug was experienced by some users when using certain Connect IQ watch faces. It might also resolve an issue flagged by a user in the Beta Bug Reports section; the Treadmill activity was listed multiple times in the Running activities list. However, Garmin has not confirmed in the thread that it has fixed this problem.

One of the most recent additions to the Garmin Instinct 3 and related smartwatches was support for Health Status. This sleep-related insight helps users to understand their well-being by comparing recent data to their personal baseline. Plus, in beta version 12.17, these wearables also gained a new Pulse Ox data field option for the watch face.

In a post on the Garmin Forum, a team member noted that beta software version 12.19 was being pushed to eligible users over the air (OTA). It remains to be seen when a public version of the 12.xx software could roll out to all users of the Instinct 3 smartwatch (45mm AMOLED, Black, curr. $349.99 at Amazon).