F7 Series - lack of Feature Update compared to FR x55/x65

gaijin said:

I have never done that - you must have me confused with someone else...

Yes, you did 2 days ago. You posted: It’s hard to solve a “problem” that does not exist. After people replied to you, you deleted it. Btw, you did not reply to FlowState question on issues he mentioned: Was that a problem or a "problem"?

2529455 said:

The forum is filled with comments from a tiny minority customers who are energized enough to complain about their pet irritation.

You considering users, bug reports and features removal as what you described, does not change the fact that those reported problems still exist.

There has been plenty of discussion on this and other forums about Garmin bugs and lack of proper bug maintenance, it is nothing new but it has reached new levels in 2024 and it continues in 2025. These user reports are not because people have nothing better to do but because they want functions on their expensive watches to work. Removing features quietly, and releasing software with previously reported bugs is not excusable, no matter how much few users want to depict it as "minor".

To come back to the topic of this thread, as clearly stated and shown, Garmin F7 and Epix watches are getting less new features than cheaper forerunner watches. If that is all fine and dandy Garmin policy, why no one from Garmin gave official statement about it? Let Garmin be open about its update and obsolence policy/plan. It would be beneficial.

But no, they have been locking these threads without replying to them from which I conclude that they do not care to respond with clear intentions because it would confirm suspicion that led to this thread in the first place. Some users here still hope that things will be changed and Garmin wants to keep them hoping. It's easier to be quiet and thread go into oblivion, as many others did. 

gaterobs said:

But Garmin transferred some of the features from the Fenix ​​8 to the Forerunner 255s, which are a year older and more than twice as cheap as the Fenix ​​7. So why doesn't Garmin add the same features to the Fenix ​​7? Basically, since the premiere of the Fenix ​​8, the Fenix ​​7s have been getting nothing but bugs, even in the stable version of the software.

gaterobs said:

Garmin brutally brought me back down to earth. Now I know that the rule: "buy a watch that meets your expectations at the time of purchase" is 100% true when it comes to Garmin and you can't expect anything - at most regression and bugs. But you're right, this is not the place for this conversation ;)

100% right.

When potential Garmin buyer asks for a recommendation, people recommend him Garmin's Fenix and Epix watches because it is a premium watch and people believe that, but no one tells them that software development for "premium watch" will be worse than for much cheaper Garmin watch. Or that some features could simply be removed. No wonder users are asking questions.

Vizi said:

Yes, you did 2 days ago. You posted: It’s hard to solve a “problem” that does not exist. After people replied to you, you deleted it.

Yep I confirm this!

Vizi said:

When potential Garmin buyer asks for a recommendation, people recommend him Garmin's Fenix and Epix watches because it is a premium watch and people believe that, but no one tells them that software development for "premium watch" will be worse than for much cheaper Garmin watch. Or that some features could simply be removed. No wonder users are asking questions.

Nothing to add, nothing to subtract. I don't know why so many Garmin users are so blinded and can't constructively criticize it? Is it so hard to admit that the company whose product you chose isn't completely fair to customers who want to spend more money on their equipment?

Vizi said:

gaijin said:

I have never done that - you must have me confused with someone else...

Yes, you did 2 days ago. You posted: It’s hard to solve a “problem” that does not exist. After people replied to you, you deleted it.

I did not delete that post, forum Moderators deleted it because it was reported as abusive.  I have no control over that...

gaijin said:

I did not delete that post, forum Moderators deleted it because it was reported as abusive.  I have no control over that...

Without questioning any words in your 2 sentences let me add that

1. One can report his/her own post as abusive.

2. And after this report moderators either delete the post, or if not then one can ask a moderator to delete it.

Just to be precise after years of watching what’s happening here….

And every single time I respond to this guy my post gets reported as abusive. What a joke. Always going around voting down reports of issues. 

Vizi said:

These user reports are not because people have nothing better to do but because they want functions on their expensive watches to work. Removing features quietly, and releasing software with previously reported bugs is not excusable, no matter how much few users want to depict it as "minor".

Agreed. I've seen more bugs, and longer running bugs (sometimes going months before fixes) than I've ever seen in any other Fenix model. It's a problem.

Vizi said:

To come back to the topic of this thread, as clearly stated and shown, Garmin F7 and Epix watches are getting less new features than cheaper forerunner watches. If that is all fine and dandy Garmin policy, why no one from Garmin gave official statement about it?

This is the real confusion. Garmin don't have a public policy which discloses if or for how long new features get added to any product lime. There's not even a claim around how long bug fixes will be offered for.

New features sometimes drop mysteriously, leaving some people to expect that they'll get an IOS or Android like experience where the hardware will be supported for X years and will thus always run the newest OS with the newest features during that time. This is not the case with Garmin. The devices are treated like an appliance and the features you get at launch are the only features you should expect to be maintained through the products life (and even then... map profiles anyone?). My sense is that the current model will often get new features to maintain parity with the competition, but even then those features might be reserved for a new model about to drop in a couple of months time.

The alternative is for Garmin cut their watch lines down to maybe a Forerunner and Fenix line only and then only offer several different sizes in each. They then offer a Whoop or the Fitbit Premium type subscription model where you get minimal or no features with the base watch unless you sign up for a monthly fee. Perhaps the Fenix costs you $700 and then $14.99 per month over 5 years for a total of $1599.

Garmin have obviously run the math on this as well and have opted against it given that most of us seem to upgrade every 3-4 years.

hakujin said:

And every single time I respond to this guy my post gets reported as abusive. What a joke. Always going around voting down reports of issues. 

With a username like that, I feel compelled... 

hakujin said:

Always going around voting down reports of issues.

Yeah, sad. This is my first forum ever where I've been consistently downvoted just because I've firmly pointed out some issues. Finally, though, it looks like Garmin will take care of them, and that's important.