D2 Echo Release Date?

With the recent announcement of the Fenix 6 line of watches, anyone have a thought/info on when the D2 Echo will be released?

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  • If you take a look at the Fenix 5 Plus forum, where the users are basically the guinea pigs beta testing the D2 Delta firmware (apart from the aviation-specific parts), there are quite some issues in recent versions which Garmin probably want to fix before releasing a new D2 Delta firmware.

    Although there is a common code base across hardware platforms, the D2 device (eg. D2 Delta) firmware releases are not necessarily linked to the base platform (eg. Fenix 5+), though the D2 release does often tend to follow a Fenix 5+ release. As I have said before, the D2 development team is small (ie. 1 engineer) and despite some major outstanding issues in D2D 4.50, there was a 4.5 month gap until the release of 5.10, and we now now that the gap/delay coincided with the final push to get the MARQ Aviator device out.

  • My wild guess is they want to move the release date to after holiday so that you can either take the holiday rebate for a previous model, or buy it at the full price for a new model. Previously they released D2 around mid year, that's less than 6 months wait until the holiday rebate comes in. Maybe they want to push to a full year of waiting to encourage people to buy it without rebate.

  • Given it is already late November, I guess it is likely. Hopefully, they will sort out Fenix 6 issues by then.

  • With CES 2020 starting next Tuesday, anyone have any thoughts/info as to whether or not a new D2 series wearable will surface at the event?

  • Well, at the risk of sounding like a broken record here, I’ll ask, any info/predictions on the next D2 now that CES didn’t reveal anything?  Could it really take all the way until Oshkosh 2020 to see anything? 

  • They just released Tactix Delta, which is based on F6. Maybe D2E to follow?

  • I didn't realize that was just released.  Maybe soon after the D2E will follow?  Not sure what firmware updates have been put out for the D2 Delta recently, but that seemed to be an indicator.  Also not sure if something referencing the D2E has shown up in coding.  I know others have used that before to predict the release of new products.  Knowing both of those pieces of information may shed more light on a potential release of a D2E...maybe?

  • ...so, still radio silence. Not sure, something will eve come.
    Has anybody tried to use a Fenix 6 for flying?


    Cheers

    Martin

  • It definitely doesn't look good. There was a small update for the base model (Fenix 5+) last week that had only a single fix (to do with WiFi). It definitely looks like they've given up on the Fenix 5+ series and the associated derivatives, including the D2 Delta. I suspect now that the D2 Echo, which will be based on the Fenix 6 series will be announced at SUN 'n FUN at the end of March. Or at Airventure at the latest.

    As for flying with the F6, if you want the connectivity between your watch and Garmin Pilot and/or Garmin avionics installed in your aircraft then the D2 series is the only way to accomplish that. However, if you simply want to track your flight it's certainly possible. I am working on a ConnectIQ flying app, but I'm unsure at this point if the activities that will be generated from that will be picked up by the Garmin online logbook. I haven't been flying much of late but I definitely find that the only functionality I actually use is the weather, and for that I use my own METAR/TAF app, which works better for me and, if I'm allowed to be bold, is actually better for the the base information.