Virtual keyboard on newer Touch-enabled devices...

Maybe t9 keyboard. Keys for full keyboard would be too tiny.

Yes! It would be very useful!

When you copy an activity, then rename it, there is already an option to use a T9 keyboard.

So the keyboard functionality is already there, they would just need to enable it for message replies.

But I dont think this will happen anytime soon, since the Venu 2 has been out much longer than the fenix 7 series, and it still does not have a reply to messages using a touchscreen keyboard option yet.

Interesting! 

Garmin can and should implement it but not sure how many users will actually use that feature especially for longer message. And F7 does not have cellular. So, user has to have phone anyway. Typing with T9 on tiny screen or take out the phone and type a message?

There are times when it is better to write back quickly and briefly than to look for a phone. Sometimes the message is specific and cannot be guessed and predefined in advance.

Or I want to keep my phone protected and safely stored in one place if I'm working.

There are definitely situations where being able to write your own reply (and maybe even write a completely new one, not just a reply) would be very helpful.

I would also greatly appreciate the ability to send a completely new message, at least a predefined one.

Plus, in my opinion, it would bring Garmin more users of their watches. This is a relatively simple software thing with no hardware modification required.

This would have been exactly my reply.

Last day I was running and normally I take my phone in the backpack, I got a SMS from wife asking me something which reply wasn't listed in the predefined one since had to give a name and cell number of a person...via watch it'd have been 3 seconds quick typing..I had to slow down, take the backpack, search inside, unlock it, opening it, typing and do the reverse.... several minutes distraction. With a 1000 Euro watch I'd expect I can type... and it is not so difficult to be implemented. So I keep on requesting it via feedback. 

Of course, in normaly daily life, if no sport etc... I take my phone ! My watch must not be a redundant device, just do the little meaningful mimicing a phone when needed.

Yeah, women are unpredictable

Giannix said:

via watch it'd have been 3 seconds quick typing..I had to slow down, take the backpack, search inside, unlock it, opening it, typing and do the reverse.... several minutes distraction.

this are really first world problems.

Imagine you are at a competition (Olympics) and you get a text message from your wife...

My fellow runner recently asked me during training about the latest stock prices of our company.
I was forced to immediately slow down and stopping my training and look in my backpack for my cell phone. ;)
That's really bad that GARMIN can't integrate that into such a watch.
And why don't I have a usable ebook reader on the watch? ;)

Cmon guys, joking aside,
The fenix 7 is a sports and outdoor watch, not a apple smartwatch.
It is mainly intended for sports activities, during which you do not send text messages and other things.

At the moment, the new Fenix series seems to have enough other problems with all the new smartphone features. So many construction sites are not yet finished.
Now do not have to be demanded even more gimmicks. That does not go well

Please GARMIN focus on your main business and don't make the watch a jack of all trades device.

You are lucky you can afford to run and forget the world my friend :-) For business (wife aside :-))... I must react someway. Business first ... running second. See my other response below.