Keyboard to reply messages

I still dont understand why no review is telling us more about the reply function. Its huge for Garmin (let's be honest, the one on the Venu 3 was quite silly) yet the reviews push some things like scuba dive, which is for how many percent of the population important? Yet something like the possibility to reply to messages is not mentioned, or just with a few words...

GBoard app would be huge for Fenix 8, especially with the swype/flow type support.

There is a keyboard. It resembles T9, but it does not recognize words like T9. However, Garmin has unified and even advertises its own Garmin Messenger application. It was created mainly to reconcile Android and iOS users, where everyone knows that Apple makes it difficult for everyone and blocks permissions for its own applications (including iMessage). And that is where the possibility of using the keyboard is. So it is not there for default smartphone applications, it is not there for What's up or Facebook Messenger and other smartphone-based messengers. But this does not interfere at all, because Garmin Messenger is easy to use and its advantage is that it uses 3 sources of coverage in priority WiFi, then LTE, then Iridium using InReach. In this way, Garmin reconciled both the Mountaineers and the average user.

I come from a Venu and there is no possibility to open a keyboard on the fenix 8 to reply to messages, as it is on the Venu. There are only the handful of standard replies. I deeply miss that keyboard already after 18 hours with the fenix. Dammit. I didn't expect that the fenix would miss some features from the Venu! In all other aspects I have seen so far the fenix is crazy equipped compared to the Venu. 

I have an EPix gen 2 sapphire, Venu 2 plus and an Instinct 2X. All of them have I bougth second hand. The Epix is the one that I like the most. My thought was that I could sell them all and get a Fenix 8 47 mm amoled, because then I would get the mic and speaker fron VEnu 2 plus and the flash light from the Instinct 2X. I had also hoped that Fenix 8 would have a keybord for rely. I am tempted to buy a neW watch, but it is cheaper to keep the 3 that I have....

Yeah, I bought the Venu 3s after 6 years with Samsung watches and that was a change but I got used to it - the poor battery life was the only reason I switched to Garmin. The smartwatch features on the Venu 3 meets the lowest bar for me and the mic and speaker to be able to take short calls are a complete dealbreaker. The replying to messages is at this point annoying but I'm reconsidering putting out an ad for my Venu already now. The price for the fenix is quite insane and at this price point I do not want disappointments so I really, really want to se the keyboard reply come soon. Switching between watches is a no go for me. 

I think, this is high time that we really went to the bottom of this: This shouldn't be taken as if I didn't like the product or anything like that, I love this watch. Yet, I will ask a genuine question to the fellow developers/decision makers of Garmin:

Why is there not an on screen keyboard option to use for replying messages on touchscreen watches?

As we can tell; there is an option on Garmin messenger app, so, there are no obstacles in terms of software. Why not simply integrate it into the reply messages feature? Does Garmin have a business plan to also expand on messaging business? I could understand that but I do not think that is a logical explanation. So can you please indulge us why we simply can not have on screen keyboard when replying to messages?

And may I ask other Garmin users to put their requests here, or if I have put it in the wrong spot; wherever is proper...

Forgive me if I have used the wrong side of the forum to do this. But Garmin, really, can you please tell us why? Or just give this option already?

Thank you.

I would love to see a Keyboard on it for sure instead of these quick replies. 

Yes it is sad. I can not even reply to whatsapp messages with google assistent through the watch.