I’m writing this so Instinct watch users are aware (if they aren’t already). I hope Garmin is already aware...
It appears that update “Version 17” is VERY poorly tested/written. So much so, I doubt I will be able to get my watch working and I’m strongly considering buying a competing product.
After being notified of an update on the watch a few days ago, the notifications feature from that point appeared not to work. Initially I figured the phone or watch needed a restart, but this failed to address the issue. Resetting the watch, updating Garmin Connect, and all the general “troubleshooting” steps Garmin outlines in the app and online fail to allow the phone and watch to pair as they were before.
It appears another user 6 days ago had the same issue and a “full reset” got things to work again. This does not work for me.
Interestingly enough I went to check the version information, and 17.00 (1fbe73e) shows. However for BLE/ANT, it shows 0.00? The Bluetooth MAC Address also shows as 00:00:00:00... somehow?
In a strange turn of events Garmin Express offers an update, installs it somehow, but seems to result in the same issue. Granted that the BLE/ANT version shows 3.02 and a Bluetooth MAC Address that’s valid, f6:60....
I’ve tried upgrading/downgrading the watch’s firmware via USB, but can’t seem to get it to acknowledge the file placed inside the “garmin” folder. I place the file, safely remove the device, and unplug the watch—but get no acknowledgement from the watch like I did with Garmin Express. Even trying to “backdate” it to 16.50 with the known barometer bugs, results in the same lack of acknowledgement. Looking under the “System Update” option shows only an “Automatic Update” setting...
When I go and attempt to pair the watch, I get a message of “Initializing” until I get the menu with “Pairing Failed” with the options of “Try Again” and “Cancel”. Restarting gives the same thing, even resetting, not pairing the phone during setup... Anything and everything seems to give the same issue.
Through all of this, at some point I managed to get into a half “paired” state, where Garmin Connect managed to start setting up the device. However it lost the pairing half way through, ending in the same result.
Curiously enough, other users are reporting that the watch freezes mid activity after this update...
Ultimately the questions for Garmin are:
- Is my watch now locked into some broken state?
- When will an update be provided to fix this terrible and likely rushed update?
- Should I be considering a competing product if this bugged update is still sitting around for ~7 days?
- How did Quality Assurance fail to catch these terrible and core feature breaking bugs?
