Under Review
over 1 year ago

BluetoothLowEnergy bug in the latest Instinct 2 firmware

After Instinct 2 / Crossover watches were updated from 11.18 to 12.23 and 12.25 firmware, the BLE functionality is broken. I traced the issue to a getService or getServices calls:

function onConnectedStateChanged( device, state ) {
    var v_service = device.getService(WOO_SERVICE);
    // v_service is null
    
    var servIter = device.getServices();
    var serv = servIter.next();
    // serv is also null
}

Now getService always returns null on Instinct 2, even though it works on every single other watch (with BLE support) and did work on 11.18 firmware on the Instict itself. Simulator of Instinct 2 also works - no issues.

I tried getServices, and it also returns an empty iterator.

BLE Profile setup correctly with the required services and characteristics - again, it is tested and works on all other watches.

The app in question is "Kite WOO+GPS": https://apps.garmin.com/en-NL/apps/53d9c500-614e-4e3a-88b6-9f65bc6a144a

It uses WOO sensor - not sure if other sensors have the same issue.

  • This is an Acknowledged Garmin firmware bug - there is no "Garmin blaming WOO". Do not read replies from Garmin support - support does not work on firmware or has any knowledge of a fix progress. Only Garmin developers here can competently reply about the issue (would be nice if they did so BTW).

  • This is just rediculous. Woo blaming Garmin, Garmin blaming Woo... How will this get resolved unless one accepts responsibility and works on a solution?! Are Garmin actually going to accept responsibility and fix this issue if they believe Woo is at fault?! 

  • WOO team created this bug report and Garmin acknowledged it. There is nothing WOO can do until Garmin fixes this bug in a firmware update. And it is not only WOO that is affected - other apps that use Bluetooth to connect to external sensors reporting exactly the same issue. Please check the comment left by markdotai below.

  • The German Garmin service said no, it is not possible to go back to a older firmware version like 11.18

  • I tried to contact the Garmin service and they said that woo itself need to fix the problem^^ and that there is no way to reset a watch to older firmware version.

    Here I attached the mail from the Not very helpfull German Garmin service:

    Guten Tag Herr ***,

    danke für Ihre Erläuterung.

    Ein Zurücksetzen auf alte Software ist nicht möglich. Da es sich hier rein um einen Drittanbieter Sensor handelt und der Fehler vom Sensor aus geht, können wir hier auch keine weiteren Lösungsschritte anbieten. Bleiben Sie daher bitte mit Kontakt mit dem Entwickler des Sensors zur Klärung.

    Wir wünschen einen angenehmen Tag.

    Mit freundlichen Grüßen

    ***