New Garmin update brings Find My Phone feature to smartwatch
The Garmin vivoactive 5 is receiving a new stable update, firmware version 10.20. The release brings a range of new features which have been rolling out in recent weeks to other models like the Fenix 7 and the Forerunner 955.
The change log for firmware version 10.20 lists three new features added since the last stable update, version 9.28. The first item is the Garmin Messenger app and an accompanying glance, which allows you to contact friends and family in areas with poor mobile coverage. Another addition is the Find My Phone tool, which uses GPS to navigate you to the last known location of your smartphone. There is also heart rate dynamic source switching, a feature designed to increase the accuracy of heart rate measurements when wearing both a watch and a chest-strap heart rate monitor. The tool means that if there is an interruption in connection from the chest-based device, data from the watch's sensor is used instead. It is worth noting that some Garmin smartwatch users have flagged issues with this tool.
Alongside the main update, there is a new version of GCM Translations, version 2.17. Several days ago, when the Garmin team last updated the forum post regarding the latest firmware, they confirmed that the update was available for 75% of vivoactive 5 users. The software is downloaded in two ways: from Garmin Connect Mobile or Garmin Express. Plus, a similar update is also rolling out to the Venu 3 series smartwatches.
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