Garmin has released software version 20.29 for the Forerunner 255 smartwatch. Users are noticing improvements in battery performance. This stable release is available for all customers.
It follows the initial public release in the 20.xx cycle. The change log lists two key bug fixes. An issue that caused the wearable to crash at the start of an activity has been resolved.
The problem causing the incident detection tool to remain active post-activity has also been fixed. Many users have reported that the new update has improved battery performance. It addresses a previously noted battery drain issue with version 20.26.
However, a smaller number of users have reported a new bug with version 20.29. It affects the functionality of connected Varia rearview radar accessories. The bug displays cars for only a brief moment.
Garmin has not provided a timeline for resolving this issue. The update should have been automatically pushed to all Forerunner 255 smartwatches. Users who have not received the update can manually trigger it.
They can navigate to Menu > System > Software Update > Check For Updates. If you own a Forerunner 965 that has recently started crashing, Garmin has released a software update to address this issue. The patch, released on September 18, is version 20.29 of GarminOS for the Forerunner 965.
It can now be downloaded manually.
Garmin fixes and improvements detailed
The company has confirmed that the update fixes two specific issues users may have encountered recently.
It fixes incident detection remaining active after activity. It also fixes a rare potential crash at activity start. To download the software update and fix your Forerunner 965’s crashing issues, head to Menu > System > Software Update > Check For Updates.
Once the update is downloaded, you may need to resync your data with the Garmin Connect App. To do so, bring the watch near your phone and open the app. Press the pill-shaped menu button and open settings using the cog-wheel icon.
Select the phone and Bluetooth icon, then tap sync. In addition to this update, Garmin has also released September updates for several other devices. These include the Forerunner, Vivoactive, and Venu 3 Series smartwatches, as well as the Edge 540, Edge 840, and Edge 1040 cycling computers.
New features include updates to Garmin Coach, new sharing features for Garmin Connect, road hazard alerts, new Pool Swim metrics, and a new GroupRide feature. The GroupRide feature lets you send messages, share your live location, and see incident detection alerts. There’s even a leaderboard for competitive users.
Garmin has released a new stable software version, 9.02, for its Bounce children’s watch. This follows three months of testing. The firmware update is rolling out to devices globally in waves.
Users can check for over-the-air (OTA) availability through their smartphone app. The update includes several bug fixes and various optimizations. The developers addressed a problem that caused location reports to be sent multiple times.
The overall performance and system stability of the watch have also been improved.
