Step Speed Loss (SSL) and other new metrics of HRM 600

No, they are not.

You just need to follow the the footnotes
"Step speed loss is available only on select smartwatches" and will then land here:
https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=2dHRQGwu9G7u5yfFkNDIV7

• Steps Speed Loss and Step Speed Loss Percent

  • Only available on the Forerunner® 970 watch while paired to an HRM 600

It *might* be, that there will be more watches in the future to support it (via firmware update), but personally I doubt that the FR x55/x65/ Fenix 7 generation will get it.
Probably it will be exclusive to FR x7x/ Fenix 8 generation to have an argument for selling - would be my guess at least.

That is one thing I don't understand about the HR M600 and the new metrics. I feel as though they are being intentionally segregated to the 970 to boost sales. At least for the time being. While I have the 970 on order I am hoping these new metrics will come to the other watches in the next software cycle. I can't imagine these new metrics REQUIRE both the 970 AND the HRM 600.

slugwalker said:

but that's matter of time if it would available in future for other watches... if this is a software base.

OK, DC Rainmaker (via his Garmin Contacts) fully confirms, what I suspected (and is understandable from a marketing perspective):

"In any case, looking at that list, the long and the short of it is that existing Fenix 8, Enduro 3, and Tactix 8 variants will get those features at some point in the future. With ‘will get’ being more of a soft promise than a hard and fast guarantee."
"Said differently (and confirmed), there are no plans for any of these newly listed features to trickle down into the Forerunner 265, 965, Fenix 7 Pro, or Epix Pro series."

Continue DC Rainmaker's quote 

"Also clearly noted, as with all software development, things can and do change. Generally speaking, when Garmin says a feature is coming to other watches, 95% of the time it comes true. There are certainly contrary examples over the last decade, but frankly, they’re few and far between."

.., if that's the case HRM 600 would beneficial to handful watches only

say bye to HRM 600 for old garmin users

slugwalker said:

Continue DC Rainmaker's quote 

He doesn't say here, that "other watches" means older watches. Instead, in the second quote that I made, he says, it is confirmed (!) that at least now, it will NOT come to those.

But time will tell, who is right.
Anyway, you should not count on getting SSL support on the FR 965 anytime soon.

slugwalker said:

if that's the case HRM 600 would beneficial to handful watches only

No, I see it differently.

Beside NOT having SSL, the HRM 600 still has a ton of features, including running dynamics, that work with older top-line Garmin watches. That makes it kind of a replacement for the HRM Pro(+).
Additionally, it has a replaceable strap and on/off button, which the HRM Pro does not have.
So, in the future, when my HRM Pro+ Strap disintegrates again, I will probably think about getting HRM 600 as a replacement (let aside the crazy pricing, but maybe it will have fallen until then).
And I would also assume, that the HRM Pro (+) will be discontinued some time from now, so the HRM 600 will be the natural replacement anyway.

Guys, really?
We are doing the "downvote things we don't like" game?

Like I wrote, time will tell, but I bet that SSL will not come to FR 955 and FR 965.