Click to ENLARGE. From ‘Google News‘.My Garmin Venu 2 with the ‘Walker’ data field.
During the last few weeks, as you can see from the top image, there has been sporadic news of a soon to be release Garmin ‘Venu 2 Plus’ — with three physical buttons (as opposed to the two buttons in the original version). The current speculation is that this third button is to activate a built-in microphone & that voice support will be the key feature that separates the PLUS model from the original. IF SO, the new ‘Plus’ will be no interest to I. I do NOT need voice support on my smartwatch.
I quite like the Venu 2. It is good looking & quite functional.
I don’t need — & never have needed — voice support. So, if that is all that Garmin has to offer, I will give the Plus a miss. My goal in 2022 is to get a Google ‘Wear OS 3‘ watch. But, as ever, I will keep you posted.
I have been wearing, 24×7, a Garmin ‘Venu 2’ since April 27, 2021.
I, having unsuccessfully tried out TWO Samsung watches in the past, had toyed with the idea of giving the new ‘Watch 4’ a try — before I dismissed it as being a really dumb idea. For a start, the less than 24-hour battery life will NOT meet my needs.
But, I happened to see this YouTube video, & it intrigued I. I watched most of it — FF through some of it.
That it categorically says that the Venu 2 is a BETTER fitness watch was a relief. SMILE.
Fitness tracking is the main reason I wear a smartwatch. So, if the Venu 2 is better, that makes me happy. Notifications etc. are of little import to I.
I would, some day, in the next year, like to standardize my life with a Google ‘Wear OS 3‘ watch. I am a great believer in Android & I am a big Google user. So, it would make sense for I to have a Wear OS watch to go with my Google Pixel phones.
But, for now I am going to stick with my Garmin Venu 2.
Click to access original post from ‘9to5Google’. Click to ENLARGE & read here. Here is the link to the CNET post.
Unlike the disappointing ‘Samsung’ ‘Watch 4’, the ‘Fossil’ ‘Gen 6’ will work with any & all Android phones. That, obviously, is a big plus. The problem with the Gen 6 is going to be Google’s ‘Wear OS’. Yes, of course, it will be using Wear OS — Fossil always having been a stawlwart champion of ‘Android Wear’ (then ‘Wear’ & now Wear OS).
All of the current reporting is that the Gen 6 will NOT be supporting Wear OS 3 (the latest version). And that is the RUB. Wear OS was a major, pivotal upgrade to Wear OS. The Samsung Watch 4 does have Wear OS — but it, inexplicably, Samsung has opted not to make it fully functional OUTSIDE of Samsung phones. So, I, for one can’t get all of its features because I refuse to have a Samsung phone. I want my phone to be from Google — the mothership of Android.
Yes, the Gen 6 is supposed to get Wear OS 3 next year. In the second half. That is nearly a year away! By then, I am sure, we will have had at least one other non-Samsung Wear OS 3 watch. It might even be from Fitbit — now that Google owns them. So, stay tuned.
Most of, if not all of, Garmin’s IT systems & networks were down for at least 10-days in June 2020. Internally it must have taken them at least another 2-weeks to ensure that everything was back to being copasetic. So, the ransomware attack had to have cost Garmin at least a month of delays. Most likely they spent another month making sure that there systems were finally as secure as they should have been in the first place.
This might explain why we have not even heard any credible rumors of the Garmin Fenix 7. It certainly is due.
The ‘Enduro’ announced earlier this year was not really a feature update. Just provided longer battery life. The Fenix 6 Pro Solar also only extended battery life. So, the last feature upgrade, i.e., the announcement of the Fenix 6, was two years ago. So, it is not unreasonable to expect a Fenix 7 anytime now.
Yes, no doubt, Garmin wanted ‘Samsung’ to get their ‘Watch 4‘ release out of the way. Well, that has happened. Garmin again as an open runway.
I would hope to see an announcement by October 2021. If not something untowards has taken place within Garmin. As always I have my ear to the ground. I will keep you posted as soon as I hear anything.
Click to ENLARGE & read here. Click here to see Samsung’s own original.
Click to ENLARGE.
I consider this to be LARGE-scale deception by THE MEDIA & Google.
I am (kind of) lost for words.
When I first heard about this HUGE (& totally unacceptable) limitation, earlier today, on a YouTube video, I thought that they had got it wrong! (See video below.) I was going to prove them wrong. Ah! They were RIGHT. And I had been badly misled. I am MAD. I am furious.
How could this be?
I was QUITE excited about the ‘Watch 4 (Classic)’.
Given my commitment to all things Google & Android (in addition to being a Google stock holder) I am really anxious to get a good, full-function smartwatch based on Google’s ‘Wear OS‘. Then I will be ALL Google: browser, phone & smartwatch (–> & possibly even my new 2022 Volvo XC60). I was so looking forward to having Google Maps on my wrist.
I have tried out two previous Samsung smartwatches: the ‘Watch 3‘ (last year) & the ‘Frontier S3‘ (in 2018). I gave up (& returned) the Watch 3 after exactly 7-days.
I thought that the Watch 4, with Google’s Wear OS, would be a better fit. I was wrong.
As some of you know I keep a close eye on smartwatch trends. As such I have been closely following all the news re. the Watch 4 for months. I made a point of reading quite a few reviews & watching an equal number of videos on the Watch 4 following its August 11, 2021, launch. Until the above video I did NOT see anything mentioning the ‘only with Samsung phones’ limitation. The media has let us down. I am trying to rectify it.
I have a Google Pixel 5. The health-features of the Samsung Watch 4 will not be available to I. How is that for Google-support. Will NOT work with Google’s flagship phone. Ridiculous. A sham. A scam.
I opened a chat window with Samsung (U.S.) a few hours ago to get clarification on this. As soon as I started asking about this specific issue, I was told that they did not like my attitude & that I was getting blocked. WOW. Hilarious. Not that I care. Well, that was the best proof ever.
Do NOT get a Samsung Watch 4 (Classic). It is not what it promises to be.
