Garmin Fenix 8 stable update comes with features, improvements and bug fixes

Robert Haba
Robert Haba
5 min read
Garmin Fenix 8 update
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Having been unveiled at the end of August in tandem, the Fenix E, Garmin Fenix 8, and Enduro 3 have had a mixed start. Leaving aside the choice to replace some of its smartwatches for outdoor activity with AMOLED screens, numerous forum posts claimed that Garmin had issued all three with problematic launch software. In order to achieve this, Garmin has been packing beta releases full of problem patches.

Garmin Fenix 8 on hand

On the other hand, the initial stable versions made little tweaks here and there with their change logs, failing to solve every issue that was being discussed online. To put it briefly, since the Enduro 3, Fenix E, and Garmin Fenix 8 (buy it now at $1,099.99 on Amazon) were released, a long list of faults has been reported, but Garmin has not officially addressed them. But this is essentially confirmed by the comprehensive changelog that comes with System Software 11.89.

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Garmin Enduro™ 3
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The changelog for System Software 11.89, which is shown below, is approximately fifty lines long, eleven of which are devoted to new features. For instance, voice commands are now available for adjusting display brightness, while AMOLED models lacking solar charging capabilities can now utilize Solar watch face patterns. Furthermore, nearly as many “improvements” have been made, which are claimed to address a variety of topics, such as decreasing power consumption on the map page and improving the responsiveness of the user interface compared to previous builds.

Read Also: Huawei Watch 5 Gets HarmonyOS 6.1 Update Globally with New Watch Faces and Health Features

However, System Software 11.89 also brings about thirty-one problem fixes, all of which are listed in the forum posts that accompany the software and which we have replicated below. The Enduro 3, Fenix E, and Garmin Fenix 8 are said to have received System Software 11.89, which has been “completely released,” by Garmin. You can start the download of System Software 11.89 by going to Menu, System and Software Update, and then selecting ‘Check For Updates,’ even though the firm has not yet released any additional information regarding the update’s worldwide deployment.

System Software 11.89 changelog

  • Added Display Brightness to Voice Commands.
  • Added ability to toggle third party maps in Map Layers menu.
  • Added Autolap by Position.
  • Added data screen for Ski/Snowboard difficulty tracking.
  • Added option to connect to WiFi in Map Manager.
  • Added PacePro and Power Guides to the Active Navigation loop.
  • Added solar percentage on the watch face (Solar models).
  • Added support for alarm volume settings and fixed an issue where alarms could be muted when Do Not Disturb is enabled.
  • Added support for Water Ejection feature.
  • Added the Location Info drawer to the Map page.
  • Added two of the Solar watch face layouts as options on AMOLED models.
  • Fixed a potential crash when saving Run, Walk, or Hike activities.
  • Fixed accidental touches during phone calls.
  • Fixed an issue where Turn Prompts were not alerting when using Navigation.
  • Fixed an issue where you could not save or discard Expedition activities after skipping the saving of the last point.
  • Fixed broken re-dial button after a missed call.
  • Fixed bug affecting pairing with an InReach Device.
  • Fixed bug preventing workout cancellation.
  • Fixed button and touchscreen handling of backlight in Do Not Distub mode.
  • Fixed button functionality for Transfer Call to Phone feature.
  • Fixed ClimbPro behavior in Active Navigation loop.
  • Fixed ClimbPro preview visibility.
  • Fixed crash in Battery Saver for various languages.
  • Fixed Golf map rendering (Solar models).
  • Fixed inability to do Strength Free workouts.
  • Fixed incorrect active timer count.
  • Fixed incorrect waypoint elevation in the Saved App.
  • Fixed map cursor in Pan/Zoom Mode.
  • Fixed missing weight values on Strength workout page.
  • Fixed potential crash in HIIT and Indoor Climb activities.
  • Fixed potential crash when searching for locations in the Weather app.
  • Fixed potential for Battery Drain after saving Activities.
  • Fixed Save Location list layout in Hunt Activity.
  • Fixed Saved App listing items out of order.
  • Fixed scrolling in very large lists.
  • Fixed Ski Run descent value truncation.
  • Fixed some charts not displaying properly when launched from Recent Menu.
  • Fixed workout scheduling in the Calendar App.
  • Improved Always-On watch face brightness (AMOLED).
  • Improved animations and speed when scrolling through the Watch Face Editor.
  • Improved handling of the touch screen turning on the backlight (Solar models).
  • Improved Off/Disabled icons for Power Controls menu.
  • Improved power consumption on the map page.
  • Improved processing time of large courses.
  • Improved Saved app performance.
  • Improved visuals for disabled power controls.
  • Improved Waypoint draw speed on the map.
  • Removed Daily Suggested Workouts from Calendar if suggestions are disabled.
  • Set default Position format to DEG.

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Founder · Editor-in-Chief
Robert Haba is the founder and editor-in-chief of Droid Tools. A lifelong gadget enthusiast with over a decade following the Android ecosystem, he built this publication to cut through the noise and give readers honest, real-world coverage of the tech they actually use.

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