Firmware Downgrades - feature request petition

Mine gives me the option to choose "Remind Me".

Max

Yes, it has 3 options: Install, Remind me and Dismiss. I'm afraid if dismissed, I will not get a chance to install it later.

At least make the upgrade optional.

I'm afraid if dismissed, I will not get a chance to install it later.

Irrespective of your fears, the point is that a firmware upgrade is already optional as opposed to forced, which neatly addresses your earlier stated request.

Giving you peace of mind and a clear roll-back position is not either a part or a consequence of “make the upgrade optional”, logically speaking.

What will happen if I choose "Dismiss"? Do I still get a chance to install the update later?

For what it's worth, I tried it just the other day. Yes, you still have the option to install the update later after electing to Dismiss the software update notification on the watch.

The issue isn't about forced updates. Unless you update you don't realise garmin have broken something.

But once you do realise, it would be helpful to revert back a) to prove it was the update b) to feed that back to garmin and c) to have a working device again.

I don't see what the issue is garmin? You respond to every support ticket with a generic 'please check you are on the latest firmware ' so what difference does it make?

Can we have this ability please.

Unless you update you don't realise garmin have broken something.

That's not true, though. My experience in this forum is that within 72 hours (or even 24 hours) of a firmware update being available, many users just can't wait to complain bitterly here about what seems broken, without first approaching Garmin's official customer service/support channels with the issues.

But once you do realise, it would be helpful to revert back a) to prove it was the update b) to feed that back to garmin and c) to have a working device again.

Not disagreeing that it would be helpful, but just as (you asserted) the issue isn't about forced updates, Garmin is also not obliged to provide users with an easily accessible, self-service rollback mechanism for updates they have chosen to accept and install.

That's not true, though. My experience in this forum is that within 72 hours (or even 24 hours) of a firmware update being available, many users just can't wait to complain bitterly here about what seems broken, without first approaching Garmin's official customer service/support channels with the issues.

Not disagreeing that it would be helpful, but just as (you asserted) the issue isn't about forced updates, Garmin is also not obliged to provide users with an easily accessible, self-service rollback mechanism for updates they have chosen to accept and install.

99.9% of the time Garmin's official customer service/support team are useless. Anyone who disagrees with this sentiment is a dummy because all that support can help with is if you have issues actually using the device because you are too incompetent to read the manual or browse a forum or watch a video that contains all the info you would need from a usage perceptive.

When there are issues that customer support can't sort out on the spot (i.e. fundamental software/hardware issues), they do nothing to help, and they can't. So what options do disgruntled users have but to come here a voice their concerns and dissatisfaction with Garmin and any new updates that inevitably break something and/or don't fix any fundamental issues.

I for one am just over it. I've given up on this stupid watch being useful. At some point, the run tracking was actually OK but the activity was a mess. Now run tracking is hit and miss, HR tracking is still hit and miss and activity tracking is still useless. It's obvious that Garmin have left customers of this product behind. They CANNOT and WILL not fix the fundamental software issues with this watch and it is what it is.

Other early adopters like me have also given up and have gone quiet on the forum. But now as the watch becomes discounted and attracts new users they will discover the short falls and come here to vent because there is no other option. It's not the users fault, it's Garmins.

That's not true, though. My experience in this forum is that within 72 hours (or even 24 hours) of a firmware update being available, many users just can't wait to complain bitterly here about what seems broken, without first approaching Garmin's official customer service/support channels with the issues.

Not disagreeing that it would be helpful, but just as (you asserted) the issue isn't about forced updates, Garmin is also not obliged to provide users with an easily accessible, self-service rollback mechanism for updates they have chosen to accept and install.

Might be, but it has also become clear that issues can occur for certain users while they don't for others... The only way to find out if something works for you is by updating yourself. For example with the latest (two) releases, for me it actually improved OHR a lot (wrt cadence lock and spikes) but reading around it caused major issues for others. So your mileage may vary...

Usually an upgrade should fix things, not break things. The garmin updates tend to do a bit (or a lot) of both so it's not weird that users get fed up sometimes and complain. Also, there is a better chance of one of the other users coming with actual useful advice, tips and workaround then it coming from Garmin support (which usually returns the please reset, please update fw, please send it in).

And this is a feature request, not a demand. No, garmin isn't obliged to deliver this, but hopefully when plenty of users request something a company at least listens or acknowledge the request itself (without necessarily implementing it). Can never hurt to ask right?

It seems logical to me that you can downgrade your watch, so you can at least use it again. It's happened now more than once, when an update bricks your device and you just have to wait for a new upgrade. Not a big problem if that update would come in a couple of days, but sometimes it takes weeks even months. And even then some bugs still aren't fixed.

Just give the user an option. Make the process a bit more convoluted/technical so it wouldn't be a common practice. It would also help Garmin to debug certain issues better and improve the QA.

It seems logical to me that you can downgrade your watch, so you can at least use it again. It's happened now more than once, when an update bricks your device and you just have to wait for a new upgrade. Not a big problem if that update would come in a couple of days, but sometimes it takes weeks even months. And even then some bugs still aren't fixed.

Just give the user an option. Make the process a bit more convoluted/technical so it wouldn't be a common practice. It would also help Garmin to debug certain issues better and improve the QA.

To be honest, firmware downgrades usually aren't supported. Not sure why actually... But in this case where an updates causes issues and a fix is likely to take a long time, yeah... it would be VERY welcome.