iPhone SE 2nd gen, latest iOS for that phone (17.5.1), latest version of Connect (5.1.0.21), have updated the watch software through Garmin Express to latest version, have been through all the steps including turning everything off and on again, removing and reinstalling Garmin Connect, removing watch from Bluetooth Devices list and have entered six digit codes multiple times. Factory rest of the watch, soft reset of the watch, hard reset of my phone, everything.
What happens is the icons on the watch suggest a pairing has taken place, Garmin Connect says "Connecting your Forerunner 55", there' s a progress bar (white) whick goes to about 55% above the text "Completing setup of your Forerunner 55 device", then it goes to "Pairing Failed Unable to pair your Garmin device" - on the watch face it says "Syncing" at this stage and there are green lines going round in opposite directions on the face.
I have tried everything in the manual, everything I can find in Reddit, everything I can find on these forums and nothing has worked.
This is a brand new device which simply fails to work out of the box.
Returning it and going with some other company's product is quite high on the list of next steps but before I do that is there anything else I could try?