A general conversation about the future of MIP for our watches..

Just don't let it be like the Fenix ​​8. In the case of the latter, there will also supposedly be a MIP model, but the sensors will be Elevate 4 as opposed to the Elevate 5 found in the AMOLED version. So the manufacturer will apply subtle pressure to switch to AMOLED (many people wouldn't do it just because of the display...)

marketuncle said:

I have moved on to instinct 2x. Its designed for low battery consumption (a bit slow

Personally one of the reasons I prefer modern Garmins (like 955) to older Garmins (like 235) is the improved user experience (although Garmin UX still has issues). And for me, a big part of that is responsiveness (e.g. how fast the watch reacts when you scroll through data pages and menus.)

If the only choices for MIP screens in the future are going to be big/heavy (Fenix / Enduro) or slow (Instinct), I'll stick with my 955 for as long as possible.

Codeplayer said:

It seems like Fenix 8 will come out with Amoled and no more solar?

Solar is very gimmick and real benefits are pretty minor even in best cases.

Adam Fulop said:

So the manufacturer will apply subtle pressure to switch to AMOLED (many people wouldn't do it just because of the display...)

Öhöm. Foreruuner 965 was pretty much  just MIP to AMOLED compared to 955.

The Elevate 4 on the MIP model could be to decrease power consumption (2 leds vs 6 on Elevate 5, although they are not all always on). MIP being the maximize-battery-life makes sense.

jmto said:

Foreruuner 965 was pretty much  just MIP to AMOLED compared to 955.

Not to mention these forums literally have ads for AMOLED Forerunners ("our brightest running smartwatches ever.") (Again, when they wanted to push MIP, they said brightness was an unwanted distraction.)

Let's not forget that all the bloggers, reviewers and tech sites have told us with one unified voice that AMOLED is the future (the future is now), and MIP is old and busted (if they even mention MIP at all.)

Can you blame them? Customers have been complaining about dull and washed-out Garmin displays for 10+ years.

Let's not kid ourselves: AMOLED is the main selling point of all the new Garmin watches.

Garmin doesn't need to trick customers into buying the new AMOLED watches for other reasons. If a new MIP Fenix has older parts, that can be explained by guessing that Garmin will position it as the discount model, same as when Apple was still making LCD iPhones (after the general switch to AMOLED), those iPhones were always the cheapest model with the fewest features.

I think the misconception here is that ppl are still trying to think of MIP as a desirable feature, but Garmin and the general public don't see it that way at all.

I do agree that the only marketable use case for MIP now is to maximize battery life. Any other consideration, like "truly always on display", "truly always on watchfaces with always on seconds", "no distracting brightness", or "display that's instantly readable in sunlight without a wrist gesture and a brief wait" is not gonna sway the public. For example, when it comes to watchfaces, I think people would prefer bright, colorful, sharp / high-res designs that aren't always on, as opposed to duller, washed-out, pixelated designs which stay on 24/7. I've def seen reviews of watchfaces in the Connect IQ store where people complain they don't look as nice as the screenshots. Same as people used to complain that Garmin watch displays don't look like the image on the website or the box.

Unlike ereaders, people aren't continuously staring at their watches for hours, and a lot of people don't even look at their watches while they run. DCR always likes to say you do have to turn your wrist with the new AMOLED Garmins, but that's ok bc Apple Watch has always been this way (and look how many millions of people love Apple Watch). (Nvm that Garmin wrist gesture detection is notoriously bad.)

Bitti said:

The Elevate 4 on the MIP model could be to decrease power consumption (2 leds vs 6 on Elevate 5

One could also say that the name's E, means Enduro and that could also mean death of Epix and Enduro. There's speculation that there would would be F8, F8 E and Enduro, but like, no leaks about Enduro, at least that I've seen, so could be that the Fenix 8 E, is the enduro.

Given that Epix was the (failed *) attempt at making an "AMOLED Fenix", I think it's fair to say it's probably dead now that there will be a literal AMOLED Fenix.

(* apparently customers kept asking "where's the AMOLED Fenix???" bc they didn't get the message that they were supposed to buy Epix gen 2)

Yes, Epix is dead for sure and it's just smart. I'm more speculating could the E version of Fenix, be the Enduro replacement as it has the MIP and Elevate 4.

Yeah, so Elevate 4 could be for battery life or it could be to keep the cost of the BOM down (and further position the Fenix 8 E as a "discount model"), or some combination of the two reasons. (Elsewhere I read that the extra LEDs on Elevate 5 are only used during activities, so idk if that affects the battery life argument. If Garmin really cared to give users their cake and let them eat it too, they could put Elevate 5 in Fenix 8 E and give users an option to use the optical HR in "low-power" mode - i.e. disabling the extra LEDs - during activities.)

One thing is for sure: Garmin will never again try to tell users that MIP is somehow better than AMOLED (other than for battery life, which isn't a concern for Forerunners, since AMOLED Forerunner battery life is "good enough".)