Unhappy with Garmin software updates

Honestly, i would not(or at least i would not expect to get everything).

Epix 2 pro is just another type of Epix2(more choice for the dimension and few smaller changes). 

They still changed the sensor too and that's definitely a plus and you could be right to expect more updates than what i'm saying.

Let's also see if they will release a new top model in few months or not.

Sorry - bit confused how the premium brand Fenix/ Epix/ Marq do not get priority? They do on updates - so not sure where you point is.

You have to remember this isn't like apple watch which effectively has 3 watches - SE, Series, Ultra. They launch a new model each year along with an update.

Garmin has a Fenix /Epix /Marq (and its variants) / Instinct (including crossover, descent) / forerunners / vivos / Venus. So sure when they launch a new model they like to include new features. So far with every new model launched since the launch of the Epix 2 / Fenix 7 they have received every new feature - the exception so far is ECG which has just rolled out to which the Epix 2 doesn't have the hardware, but the Epix 2 Pro which does have the hardware has received it. (Consider what launched on the FR255 /955, on the FR265 / 965 and on the Epix Pro / Fenix Pro and what launched on the Approach S70 - all of these features except for swing tempo has come to the Epix/Fenix range - and swing tempo is on Marq so that is more of premium range split than a feature not being rolled out).

This just leaves the Venu 3 / VA5's - which was released in August - new features of : 2 font size; images in messages, ability to provide full responses; wheelchair user features, sleep coach and naps. I think I have them all. So if in the next two quarters we don't get those updates - then yes maybe you might have a reoson to complain about the fact that a premium watch isn't getting new features - but as Garmin does staggered launches you can't reasonably expect new features to be automatically updated on Epix/Fenix every time a new model launches with a new feature - they are trying to stick to quarterly releases. We also have no idea how different the software is and thus how complicated it may be to move a feature potentially developed by one development team to another team. Also have to consider priorities - in that I personally (and the dev team may feel the same way) don't see the urgent need to roll out any of these new features - though would love the the larger font size, full response, images in my messages - I feel there are bigger issues in what we already have that require priority.

I suspect based on the latest mini beta updates that perhaps the next quarter drop (Oct to Dec) may be a biggie - possibly with these new features - but pointless throwing your toys out the cot until its confirmed as not happening or taking too long - as currently as I have pointed out with justification - we have received all new features so far.

The Venu 2 Plus was released in 2022, the Venu 3 in 2023. That is a year difference about

And even so 2 years. Garmin will see it's watches as phones or tvs now?

Even most phone suppliers like Samsung or Apple will give years of updates for ios or android, and that isn't  even counting security updates. Same goes for Microsoft for example

"nearly 2 years old" we are talking about watches of a $1000 here, and even the lower end watches have crept up in price

Maybe you have money to throw at a new watch every year or too, but most people don't

And what is even the use of  buying a rugged, one of the toughest watches if it is obsolete in a year or so anyway

Go buy an iphone and apple watch or samsung phone and watch and you might even be cheaper off, and get more updates

Maybe some Garmin diehards will stick around, but that won't keep Garmin afloat

I do agree here . Users expect to get features for few years .

no one buy watches every year .. 

I still don't understand.

You buy a watch and you expect exactly which features in the next 1-3 years?

If the watch is working well and there are no security updates needed what do you expect that they update?

With all the updates that my phone is getting i don't remember anything really new except graphic changes or reorganization of settings or icons or whatever or "security" updates that i have no idea what they are.

I'm not within Garmin since 10 years so i'll take as an example the Fenix 6.

When Fenix 7 was released, it had "Stamina" feature that F6 didn't get...people with F6 are still able to run, cycle or collect health data.

Venu series doesn't have many training features but they still get small updates from time to time...Venu has been released in 2019 and the last update was in 2022(3 years of updates)

Venu 2 has been released in april 2021 and got an update few days ag(i'm not saying it got new features but they are still updating it or fixing bugs or whatever).

edit.

i just saw that you were replying directly to me so i'll just add few more things.

Garmin will see it's watches as phones or tvs now?

What does it even mean? I changed a tv 2 years ago and the previous one was like 9 years old...are they updating tvs every year now? What are they adding? Never heard of people buying a tv every year but maybe i'm wrong.
Same for phones...what does it change with phones every year? My phone, that is 2-3 years old, is still making calls and doing photos with no issue. 
Oh wait...maybe phones add new hardware like better camera sensors, displays, more powerful processors or graphic units.
Oh wait...that's exactly what Garmin is doing with new optical/GPS sensors.

But do you really need the newest one or you can still use the previous one for few years? Well, it depends from person to person, of course, but i can live without ECG, for example.

"nearly 2 years old" we are talking about watches of a $1000 here, and even the lower end watches have crept up in price

I don;t understand the problem here...yes, we are talking about a $1000 watch here...that i'm using for nearly 2 years and i don't see why i can't continue to use it for another year or 2(i'm using it with AOD so maybe the battery will not last so long but let's see)

Maybe you have money to throw at a new watch every year or too, but most people don't

Again, it's a watch that i'm already using for nearly 2 years so why am i throwing money to a new watch every year?

And what is even the use of  buying a rugged, one of the toughest watches if it is obsolete in a year or so anyway

One last time, who said the watch is obsolete or will be obsolete soon? Getting new features is different from getting support/assistance/bugfixes/etc

And they have done so - you only have to compare what the Epix 2 and the Fenix 7 started with to see what htey have now - its absolutely crazy as to how many updates these watches have had in the last 18 months that includes a massive amount of new features.

Instinct 2 has probably had the next most updates with new features.

FR's have had a couple but not nearly as much as the oudoor watches.

Venu - sure they haven't had that many, but then they are already so well featured, about the only health feature they are missing is HRV Status. Otherwise they pretty much have all the new health features.

So lets be honest - the only reason people are upset with supposed lack of feature updates is due to the release of two new watches - the venu 3 and vivoactive 5 - which offer the following new features: sleep coach (min use), naps (already shown in BB), new BB layout (likely to be rolled out to everyone as more of an app thing than watch), images in messages, ability to do full replies Iif on android, the wheelchair stuff, meditation and workout benefit (which only really applies to watches without garmins training eco system as its a simplified version of training effect).

Garmin update their watches 4 times per year at a miniimun - whether bug fixes, sensor updates, algorithms, new features etc. And garmin tend to release a new watch every 2-3 years - occasionally there is a mid release model (i.e. venu 2 plus, fenix/epix pro range). Garmin has vivomove, venu, vivoactive, instinct, forerunner and Fenix/Epix variants - and there can be  a host of variations within that.

Apple and Samsung - they release a new model once per year and it comes with an update. which is then generally also rolled back to older models. Note that samsung has 2 watch with 1-2 sizes (occasionally 3); and apple has 3 watches it releases each year.

And those that are complaining are complaining cause spent 1k - and if bought oriiginal epix have had approx 6 updates - have had so many new features its challenging to list them all (just look at what FR255/955 brought in, what FR265/965 brought in, what Fenix/Epix Pro brought in and what the S70 brought in). And now we have doom and gloom as VA5 and V3 released after update and want the couple of new features they added - who is to say we will not get them - who is to say that they will not be in next quarter update or even the one after that.

Seriously take a look at what the Epix/Fenix has received over the last 18 months -then compare to what Samsung GW received and then compare to what Apple Watch received - there is no comparison in terms of features, especially when you consider how much more narrower the Garmin feature set can be compared to a more phone capable type watch like GW/AW who can focus on smarts, health, fitness and training.

And when you bought the watch - you bought it for what it can do, not what it will do as garmin never provides future features - so why then did you spend they money on it in the first place -considering it still does what you bought it to do. New features are a bonus.

Excellent points

And there is where the rub is too maybe:

The poor communication from Garmin

Maybe they have a reason to be so secretive about releases, like competition

At the same time expectation management is a thing

Why buy an Epyx or Venu 2 Plus if you know a Fenyx Pro or Venu 3 will be released. I can understand customers being upset. You just bought a watch that Garmin is still actively selling, and one day later it's outdated for the next shiny thing

At the same time Venu 2 customers have been requesting HRV nightly status for a long time, it is possible with the watch, but instead they put it in the Venu 3

So, I am not here bashing Garmin, they do a lot of good things too, but constructive criticism can be a good attitude to take and for Garmin to listen too

When the Venu 3 launched, Garmin would have said, and we are rolling some of the software features back to the Venu 2, but some we have newer sensor, new layout, etc.

The response could have been a lot different and positive, and people wanting to buy a Venu 3 later, because the company backs them

Same for Epyx, altough not sure but did they announce they would come with a pro model at release? Because if they said we are releasing the Epyx now, but expect a Epyx pro with expanded sensor and sapphire, etc, but at a steeper price.At least people can make educated choice

The worry is that there is corporate choices going on here, which put profit and sales,  and quarterly figures, above long term goals

Which can be seen more often, and ends up to a company losing customers.

At the end of that day, Garmin is a brand dear to a lot of us, and we would like to see it thrive, while having an overall happy customer base

The current strategy can cause customers to be wary to buy a new watch, because well who knows a better version might drop in 3 months

That is when $500 or $1000 hurts, and it is not just the right of updates, but the perception too. It just sucks to buy a watch, and then surprise here is the new version, well wait, I would have bought that one maybe

Don't get me started on the Vivoactive 5, and it's features and how it was released right after the venu 3

I don't know maybe I am not in the loop enough to know when what will be released, and Garmin can improve that

But I am literally looking for a new watch last month because the last Garmin broke (could return under warranty), and even I have been a bit surprised at the state of affairs with Garmin and releases

It is an utter mess right now, I have no clue what Garmin watch to get. So much so I switched to Polar for now

So how is the strategy working? They lost a long term customer for now is the answer. Who knows maybe they gained 10,000 more, so from that stand point it is working

Maybe we are just dinosaurs, and Garmin can do well without us. It is what it is. At the same time Apple, Coros, Suunto, Polar and even Samsung are competitors. What really distinguishes a Garmin? Don't underestimate customer retainership, or maybe they have calculated ever and this is the best course they feel

My feel says maybe, in 3 years or so Garmin will be a marginal brand, that can barely compete, but I could be wrong

Garmin does need to do better job on features/updates . Unless one is part of beta program .

May be once a year announcement what new features watch will be getting. ECG just came out . May be sleep coaching is coming also .

It's funny to read about the same whining every few weeks/months. "A new Garmin watch is out and has a new feature but my $1k watch doesn't!!!" This is my very last Garmin watch!!1!!!!" 

I remember when the Morning report came out, there was so much pressure towards Garmin to implement on Fenix/Epix 2. The feature I turned off the very first morning when I couldn't check time. The same was about Jet lag adviser (it works very well btw), like that all those people (or teens?) are flying all the time.

Since Fenix 7/Epix 2 came out, we got a few very useful features, like HRV, workout suggestion (I love this), training readiness... Which is great and thanks Garmin