Automatic installation of public beta versions in opt-in mode over the air?

Dear Garmin devs,

you are releasing so many public beta versions (what is appreciated by customers, I think), so what about to add new watch feature to enable automatic installation of beta versions in opt-in mode over the air? Watch will ask - new public beta is available, would you like to install it? Customer can check forum for possible problems of beta version and if it seems to be fine, customer can install beta in simple over the air mode, especially if he is traveling and beta version could fix a problem. Also this feature could be implemented to Garmin Express, so people using Mac Book are not forced to install 3rd party software to upload beta firmware to the watch over USB.

Top Replies

mcalista over 3 years ago +1

Note that this is beta software, not early release of production software.

And the point of beta is to test it. A basic filtering of customers for those who can copy files and follow written instructions…
mcbadger over 3 years ago in reply to tomco3131 +1

tomco3131 said:
download this update to your watch

This should happen automatically if you go long enough after the release without syncing via cable or WiFi - the update is trickled across by Bluetooth…

All Replies

0 Zoestar over 3 years ago

That’s good idea!

many customers will take vantage about updates OTA.
It would be very helpful to me. I’m spending some days on holidays and have some issues with current beta….

0 mcalista over 3 years ago

Note that this is beta software, not early release of production software.

And the point of beta is to test it. A basic filtering of customers for those who can copy files and follow written instructions is an excellent start to beta testing.

Sure, production releases are OTA, and that's the way it should be. Be beta should be a little harder, and that's the way it should be too.

0 jaamgans over 3 years ago in reply to mcalista

agree, I like how suunto does this, restricing this function to watch testers, so its a much more tighter and focused fix on software and or features.

0 Housik over 3 years ago in reply to mcalista

This opinion reminds me a situation, when the government tries to tell people how to live their lives..... once it is a PUBLIC beta, let's decide people, if they will install it and use it... a lot of other software apps have a simple checkbox in preferences to allow install beta versions.

0 tomco3131 over 3 years ago

Interesting idea. But lets talk about another garmin software issue. I think, much much better UX will be here, if Garmin connect mobile app will show you here is a new release (regular release (or beta fi you will have checkbox checked)) and it will download this update to your watch. It is super anoying for me start wifi. Also I dont often connect my watch to computer (only when I need update)). I think lot of users can be stucked on old versions because this super weird workflow... Look on Coros how their implement this feature.

0 mcbadger over 3 years ago in reply to tomco3131

tomco3131 said:
download this update to your watch

This should happen automatically if you go long enough after the release without syncing via cable or WiFi - the update is trickled across by Bluetooth over a day or so and the watch offers you the update when it is complete.

For transparency, I should say I don't recall seeing this happen specifically on a 6 series, because I've always updated via other routes before it would trigger, but have seen it on 5 and 3 series.

0 tomco3131 over 3 years ago in reply to mcbadger

interesting, thx for your reply

0 Dr Phil over 3 years ago in reply to tomco3131

tomco3131 said:
Also I dont often connect my watch to computer (only when I need update)).

Over the air (OTA) updates happen for public release versions if you have connection to a smartphone. So, provided the watch is regularly synced to a smartphone there is unlikely to be many users

tomco3131 said:
stucked on old versions