firmware update date?

New firmware is being released at the end of each quartal. If you are impatient, you can side-load the current beta version:

https://forums.garmin.com/beta-program/fenix-6-series/f/announcement 

A snapshot about what's new and fix

https://forums.garmin.com/outdoor-recreation/outdoor-recreation/f/fenix-6-series/254403/garmin---fenix-6---excel-changelog/1693475#1693475

Unfortunately, the fenix 6 series does not get quarterly updates anymore. But looking at the current state if the bata phase, I would guess that the next stable update comes within the next couple of weeks. 

The Fenix 6 is basically abandoned. Garmin support told me that they are hoping to have an update for the RD Pod issues at the end of November, but all the other bugs (e.g. GPS, Altimeter, UI lags) will not be fixed anymore. That was the frustrating outcome of a long and otherwise very cordial phone call that Garmin support gave me as an answer to a long mail I sent them, detailing all the bugs of the Fenix 6.

that is what i thought. the watch is too old. they cannot spend any more man hours when they have so many new products.i do not even think they will release a new public firmware. only beta that everybody can side load with no warranties it will fix your issues. i am happy with mine right now. the only issue i am getting is the wrong training status after a workout but it is fixe after a sync. gps and altimeter seems to work on mine. i was in the alps last year and altitude matched the sign on top of the slopes.

I did not see yet a new quarterly beta firmware without the subsequent public release, at any Garmin model, over many years. If they did not want to make any public release, they would not spend their precious resources on developing a new firmware version for a handful of beta testers.

The point is: GPS will always be crappy, because of the Sony chipset that Garmin used in the Fenix 6, although other watches that use this chip show that at least a half-decent performance can be achieved.

But the bugs regarding RD Pod, Altimeter and UI lags were introduced by Garmin with software updates. So they basically transformed a watch that worked for my usage (Running, Road Biking and MTB) and transformed it into a $ 800 paperweight, because

• Altimeter readings are grossly wrong and thus all of the metrics derived from that
• Running metrics are grossly wrong (result: see previous point)

As Garmin caused these bugs, they are obliged to fix them, regardless of the age of the watch. I would have long installed an older firmware version without the bugs on my watch, but Garmin decided to not let watches with old firmware versions synchronise with GC, so that is not an option, as GC is regularly updated.

Totally agree. Garmin should do one last update leaving the watch the same as version 25 where everything worked fine.

I hope that Suunto follows the path of the race model so that Garmin gets its act together because it cannot be that an €800 watch works so poorly and they also abandon it in a few years.

The model before the fenix 6, which was the fenix 5 plus, still gets updates (last one 4 months ago). So I am quite sure that also the fenix 6 will get further updates. 

I don't have my fenix 6x anymore, but it was working without issues for my use cases. I then got it replaced with a 7x because the WiFi broke. I cannot speak for the 26.00 update or a RD Pod because I never used these, but i had no altimeter issues, and no major GPS issues.