zwift virtual gear changes - please update the firmware

When trainers like the JetBlack and Core are so much cheaper than the Neo, I can see why Garmin aren't focusing on indoor trainers, where is the profit going to be?  Therefore, as a business it's better to focus on growing product segments with higher margin.

We're all asking for one feature that serves one training platform, in which cheaper models like the JetBlack and Core are winning on price..... lets be honest, for all other purposes the Neo is a great trainer, not everyone buys it for Zwift, so perhaps Garmin just accept that they'll lose that segment of their customers but retains others.

Personally I mostly ride and race on Zwift, I have two Neos and a Flux.  I'll be moving away from Taxc for a few reasons.  I want vitrual shifting, Wifi connection is preferred, 10hz response mode for racing, and the Neo makes racing harder so I'm having to use power pedals to make it usable (https://zwiftinsider.com/tacx-neo-2t-review/).

However, if I were using TrainerRoad, MyWhoosh, Tacx Training, IndieVelo and not racing, then the Neo is a great great trainger...... so we Zwifters want virtual shifting, but is our market one that is that important to Garmin?.

Surely though the number of Zwifters massively outweighs the number of people using the other platforms There never seem to be any less than at least 8000 other users on Zwift when I go on there and that is any time of day in the UK and also that those users are different ones, not the same 8000. So one can presume that it is that many people every hour of the day in all parts of the World. Seems to me that if they ignore that market, they are being really short sighted......

after talking to a zwift team member for a good half in hour, it sounds like they dont expect garmin to upgrade to virtual shifting anytime very soon.

If you know a Zwift team member, you should ask Zwift why they can't implement virtual shifting in a platform independent way (as IndieVelo does). I don't understand why that is not possible and they are relying on companies like Garmin to make firmware changes. It doesn't make sense to me. 

Excellent point which i hadn't considered. Have you also posted on the Zwift forums?

Zwifter software developers seem to be busy making cosmetic changes instead of features that matter and make sense.

Yeah, I said it...

Great point. This was all through back and forth emails. The team member basically said don't expect them to implement it anytime soon. That I was basically better off selling my tacx neo If I was wanting to use virtual shifting that bad. I don't think it was a selling point because the team member stated that he also had a tacx neo.  

I just had another thought on this situation.

Garmin essentially has global data from all its devices that have been in use over the past decades. Imagine a collaboration with Google and their mapping division that will allow you to ride anywhere in the world anytime you want with street view imaging where it's available. Being under the Garmin corporate umbrella, Tacx now has access to more data and developers than Zwift could ever dream of. If they come up with this sort of platform with the same virtual shifting and a clone of the Kickr Climb, it could be very compelling because, after all, how many cyclists are already using Garmin head units and watches?

Seems 'replace the Neo' is something many are considering, which is dissapointing because for a long time the Neo was the leading trainer, but now with others having virtual shifting, race mode, etc the Neo is lagging somewhat, tis a shame.