Why is there no 43mm Fenix 8 model with MIP/solar?

I think someone on Youtube said Garmin addressed this issue. Something about the watch would need to me 2 millimeters thicker.

Probably new solar panel construction makes smaller watch not possible to build.

Agree. I'm so annoyed and disappointed in Garmin. I would guess this predominantly affect women - I guess they think we don't care about additional function. I don't need the colorful screen. Give us solar. I've been a Garmin user for years, but this makes me question whether I want to stick with them. Previous Fenix models had a 43 with solar. They could have made it work.

I agree, very disappointing 

What I can say, it is their decision, probably they had research showing interest of small model with AMOLED is bigger than with MIP.
Second, what I already wrote, it might be that new solar panel construction made it impossible to made in smaller model.

I would say, I'm also disappointed because I love design with Titanium with Chestnut Leather Band (that one: https://www.garmin.com/en-GB/p/1228171/pn/010-02905-40), but it exist only with AMOLED.
There is another, almost identical with this yellow band and yellow elements which cannot be changed and for me looks bad.

Per DC Rainmaker review (and others), the watch would of been too thick to get all the same hardware into 42/43mm compared to the 47 & 51mm watches.

DC Rainmaker said the official reason he was given is that the hardware wouldn't fit. However he left several comments indicating he thinks the actual reason is a combination of the small sizes not selling well and Garmin moving away from MIP on all Fenix and Forerunner models. Apparently AMOLED screens are much cheaper to produce, so higher profit margins.

www.dcrainmaker.com/.../comment-page-1

If that's the case, my Fenix 7 will likely be my last Garmin. It's frustrating, but there's other options out there, like the Suunto Vertical (with solar option) or Coros Vertix 2s (small option).

5486413 said:

If that's the case, my Fenix 7 will likely be my last Garmin. It's frustrating, but there's other options out there

I suspect that what is happening at the moment is a bit of an experiment to see how well the Fenix MIP models sell alongside the AMOLED. If MIP is <= 10% of sales (which I suspect it will be) then I can see MIP being consolidated into the Enduro line (with no mic, speaker etc) and removed from the Fenix line.

We'll see the Enduro line expanded with 43mm and 47mm variants if the Fenix goes completely AMOLED. They'll find a way to get that solar panel in there 

I hope you're right about Enduro expanding to smaller sizes, but DC Rainmaker specifically said in a comment that he doesn't think that's likely either.

You may be right. They've likely seen such a small number of 42mm Fenix 7s being sold that it didn't make sense to produce two variants.