Do we get the new SW updates from 945?

Ideally yes, you would buy a watch based on looks weight and different hardware features that you want. Software wise if the unit is capable of supporting features they should be implemented.

You also have different categories watches are marketed to in garmins case, Fenix line is marketed mainly towards hiking and outdoor activities, so wouldn't altitude and hest have a big impact on that?

They can manually block certain features based on where they market the watch, in va3 case it's not marketed towards swimmers so I understand why they limit that functionality. As far as Fenix line and not adding new vo2 calc just makes no sense.

You also have different categories watches are marketed to in garmins case, Fenix line is marketed mainly towards hiking and outdoor activities

We are in 100% agreement here.

They can manually block certain features based on where they market the watch, in va3 case it's not marketed towards swimmers so I understand why they limit that functionality. As far as Fenix line and not adding new vo2 calc just makes no sense.

We agree again that the VA3 isn't marketed towards swimmers.  We're in complete disagreement about adding new VO2 calculations to the 5+ as making no sense.  The VO2 calculations are more geared towards runners and cyclist.  This is marketed by Garmin in their Forerunner series, not their watches marketed towards outdoor recreation such as the Fenix series.  Arguing that you may find all the VO2 calculations necessary on your 5+ carries no more weight than someone who owns a VA3 wanting the swimming features.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but when I got my f5x+ I was recommended it because it was best hiking watch, and I still believe that it's main purpose is hiking. So if I'm going to a week long hiking expedition, where altitude and heat change drastically, wouldn't it make sense to have new metric of vo2 that is impacted by those 2 things?

No, I don't feel that those two features make sense to have on your watch.  Yes, they'd be nice to have, but not necessary.  It would be nice for the 645 to record HR while swimming too.  Both these devices were purchased without those features and your 5+ worked fine before the new features were available.  Look, all I'm saying; and I believe this to be the case for Odie21 also, is we don't care if the features are added.  When people post comments such as, my expectation, Garmin should, I feel cheated, the customer's always right, etc. that causes me to question those comments.  Why does that mean people like me are taking Garmin's side?  Anyone posting comments like that are by definition of the word (not mine) acting entitled.  It's great if you get the new features.  I have no problem with that at all.  The problem I have is the reasons some give as to why they should get the features.  

Exactly. I’m not against getting new features added to my watches, of course I’d love to have them. But I bought the products as is and not for what the future “could be” for the product that I bought.

As I get older, I become more cynical and much less tolerant of ignorant, entitled people that expect things just to be given to them because of...whatever. I’m just not one to beat around the bush.

Speaking like Yoda...Candid I am.

Fair, I'm happy to pay for these features because I believe they are important to me, all I'm saying is that watch is capable to have them and shouldn't be held back because Garmin wants to sell you new products, if you wanna charge for them fine whoever wants them will pay.

By that logic, the VA3 should get all of the features (bar blood oxy level) available on the 945 given that it's got the hardware to support them.

Why would anyone buy a 945?

That would be an ideal scenario, and why you would buy 945 well better baterry life, new hr sensor, spo2 sensor and new gps chipset.

But the thing here is that the new features that people are clamoring for here are Firstbeat products which Garmin licenses on a per device basis. Therefore adding those features to F5+ watches that haven't been sold yet would change the price of those watches and would leave them having to deal with 2 different SKU's (F5+ with newer features and F5+ without) which would make support more complicated.

However things that are in house products like Incident Detection and Emergency Assistance that don't cost them anything to add they have done so as well as any actual bug fixes and other improvements to the base firmware.

In other words, they are supporting the device that you were sold at as good a level as most any other companies. What you want them to do is support it to the point that you receive more than what you bought no matter what.

This is not "anti-consumer" thinking it's common sense.