New Garmin Fenix 8 beta arrives and stable release hinted

The Garmin beta version 13.31 update is now rolling out to the Fenix 8 AMOLED, Fenix 8 Solar, Fenix E and Enduro 3 smartwatches. Garmin has recently been iterating quickly in this 13.xx testing cycle, with four releases in the last seven days.

Beta version 13.31 brings two bug fixes for problems with the new passcode feature. The first tackles an issue where Garmin Connect Mobile was apparently not exiting the blocked state as expected. The second ensures that the device’s Passcode lock does not interrupt the Wi-Fi syncing process. On top of this, a bug which prevented users from accessing the smart trainer options menu has been resolved.

The release notes also state that the ECG and Dive features have been enabled. This indicates that Garmin expects this to become a stable update in the near future, making these changes available for all users for the Fenix 8, Fenix E and Enduro 3 smartwatches (curr. $833.99 at Amazon). The complete change log since the latest live update, version 12.38, includes the new Passcode tool for extra security, and the addition of strength workouts to Garmin Run Coach and Garmin Cycling Coach plans. There is also a new QWERTY Keyboard Layout with support for predictive text, and Body Battery and Training Readiness have been improved.

This is an over-the-air (OTA) update, with Garmin indicating that this is a phased rollout. Unfortunately, it does not state what percentage of users should have received the update at this time. However, users can also request the update by going to Menu > System > Software Update > Check for Updates.