Slow development?

I may be wrong, but I generally agree with the comment.

It seems like firmware releases (beta and production) for the 945 LTE after launch have been more minimal than recollection from previous Garmin devices.  I guess we'd almost need to review history and write it down to be sure, but since the ~June release I think there has been a single production firmware update (not counting the "day 0" update) and basically 2 beta firmware releases (one led to the noted production release, the other 4.07)

Someone could argue devices with reliable and "complete" firmware shouldn't require updates, but I think many with the watch would debate if it was released meeting the stated specifications and without bugs (or if even beta 4.07 meets that definition).

I guess we'll see...

Perhaps the complexity of the device is an issue (I doubt it), perhaps it's a resource allocation and priority problem (everyone assigned to work out issues on upcoming watches to meet schedules?).

In all honesty the device isn't really unusable - it may have less bugs and issues than many of the other Garmin devices I've had over the years.  Still, it has some quirks that make the seeming lack of attention to improvements a little frustrating.

Slow? I don't think so. Very, very slow? Absolutely. Even Polar develop faster for the V2 than Garmin for the 945LTE LOL

I think the reason for this slow development is that they don't want to show severals improves that, maybe, comes with the Fenix 7. They are waiting to announces it with the top watch and the sales leader and then, and only then, update other 'inferior' watches.

Or simply they have problems with this watch, like most other Garmin watches the first months.

I worried a little when buying the 945 LTE, as it seemed to be an in-between-generations watch, and this is not helping to change that feeling.

Last time I spoke with Garmin by chat and told them this (specially compared to Fenix 6) they answered that being a LTE device, the validation takes more time (which kinda makes sense).
I prefer that they launch less firmwares and take more time and launch them stable than having more bugs. 

Sounds reasonable, and I agree with waiting longer for a more stable release.

I'll play the Devil's Advocate. If there were more updates and betas, this thread would be replaced with the "I wish Garmin would concentrate on fixing this or that and stop releasing these half-baked worthless updates with needless features.".  Pick your poison. 

Could be the case. I remember seeing these kind of posts. However, a BETA is not a firmware that the watches Auto-update to, it's a user choice and a manual process. And do keep in mind that it's not always new features that come with updates, but also fixes to user reported bugs. I'm happy to see that it's not just me imagining things when saying that development for this watch seems slow. 

You're right.  Nearly every new device has seen more FW updates in the same time period they were released to the age the 945 LTE is now. But, is the 945 LTE really a new device, or is it a 945 with an advanced feature?  An update addressing the LTE feature specifically is one thing, but it isn't going to see anything else different than what the 945 receives. 

These watches are basically a single board computer with a tiny processor, tiny amount of ram and a tiny battery. Writing firmware is a delicate balancing act between usability, performance and battery life. The more features a board has increases the complexity of the firmware. Each chip in the watch, the LTE, Bluetooth, GPS, Ant+, etc has its own firmware from the manufacturer. There could be bugs in the chips firmware preventing Garmin from getting full functionality from the chip. There could be bugs in the libraries provided by the manufacturer used to access the features of each chip. Most likely the 945 and 945 LTE are  completely different on the inside due to the addition of the LTE chip.

I fully agree. I sold this watch based on the number of flaws not getting corrected and the feeling to always run on a beta FW. I do not mind from time to time to engage on a beta on my F6 because there is something I would love to try and worth the risk. Not only it took ages to get a beta 4.07 but there 1/ no updates since a month (!) and 2/ no way back.

I am more than happy with my new F6 Solar Titanium White I paid cheaper than the 945LTE.