Click to ENLARGE. Today. My Garmin Fenix 6 Titanium & Venu 2.
I already said it, unequivocally, yesterday: “the new Fenix 7 family came across as under-featured & over-priced“.
I knew others would have a similar problem, if they were being honest, upfront — & NOT in Garmin’s pockets (so to speak) — to justify why a Fenix 6 owner should upgrade to a Fenix 7. A couple even pointed out the same issue that I had re. the touchscreen, i.e., touchscreens can be problematic in wet weather or when you are swimming.
Stay tuned. Once ‘Wear OS 3‘ gains traction later on this year, Garmin will be sucking wind like an out-of-shape runner trying to compete in a triathlon.
The new Fenix 7 family came across as under-featured & over-priced.
Yes, 4 years ago I yearned for a touch screen. Now I have a nice one on my Venu 2 & I have learnt one thing to my cost. Touchscreens can be very annoying when you are working out in rain! Yes, the raindrops mess with the screen. So, a touchscreen on a Fenix isn’t going to be as attractive as you would initially think. Most serious athletes will end up trying to disable it. Plus, the Fenix 7 still comes with the 5 clunky buttons. Hhhhmmmm.
Garmin has already said that many of the new software features on the 7 will be available on the Fenix 6 (& even 5) via a new software update.
Basically, I don’t see a justification for getting a Fenix 7.
Plus, I haven’t worn a Fenix since I got my Venu 2 nearly 9 months ago. The Venu 2 meets all my current needs.
I feel that Garmin has started to lose its way in the smartwatch space — bar the Venu 2.
Soon, it will have a ton of competition from Google ‘Wear OS 3‘. There might even be a Google Pixel watch. Others are talking, & Samsung is even offering, health-centric features like EKG. Nothing from Garmin.
I have been a HUGE Garmin devotee since 2017 — as figures 4 & 2 above testify. I have owned 11 Garmin watches in those 5 years. SMILE. But, I plan to ditch Garmin in 2022 — as soon as I spot a decent Wear OS watch. So, you have been warned. SMILE.
Something just does NOT seem to be right with dear ‘Garmin‘.
We haven’t had an exciting new watch announcements in months. The last watch of significant impact was the ‘Venu 2‘ in April 2021. That was 6-months ago. Yes, I have a Venu 2 & have been wearing it, 24×7, for the last 143-days. [Yes, I keep track of my trackers. Don’t you?]
Quite a few of us have been waiting for the ‘Fenix 7’ (or equivalent). It is due.
I have speculated that the ‘Fenix 7’ MIGHT have been delayed by the horrendous ransomware attack on Garmin last year.
But, I am now beginning to think that there is another MAJOR factor.
Garmin, obviously, cannot be immune. Like all others it too has to be dependent on others for much needed chips & SENSORS. I think that is a big factor though Garmin has yet to publicly say anything about this. Yes, it is possible (as always) that I am wrong.
Contrary to some crazy stuff I have been reading on the Web, I do NOT believe that Garmin’s next major watch — i.e., ‘Fenix 7’ (or equivalent) — will be based on Google’s ‘Wear OS 3‘. No way. Not yet, at least. It will take a quite a bit of work to get all of Garmin’s proprietary software integrated with Wear OS. So, that is not the reason for any delays.
I am getting fairly sure that it has to be the chip shortage.
I keep on checking sources on a daily basis — though I have none within Garmin per se.
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.
