Garmin software update brings new widgets for Fenix, Forerunner 935 and Chronos watches
Garmin has rolled out an update to the software running on its Fenix line, the Forerunner 935 and Chronos watches. In addition to fixing a few issues, version 8.00 brings a number of improvements.
First off users are able to install a couple of new widgets. One of these is a Sunrise and Sunset widget. It picks up on your GPS position to show sunrise and sunset times for the day along with twilight times. Clicking on the top right button allows you to scroll backwards or forwards in time. The other widget you can install now is an Alternate Time Zone widget. This allows you to select up to three times zones and display them alongside each other, in addition to your current time.
To install, long-press the middle left button on the watch. Scroll down and choose the settings option. Than choose the widget field and click on add widgets.
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Garmin says its also improved the accuracy of resting heart rate (RHR) measurements but did not go into detail how the algorithms have changed. Some users are seeing lower RHR values while other’s are seeing higher.
Until the update, RHR was calculated by using the wearer’s sleep average, excluding periods where any steps were detected or the heart rate fell outside reasonable bounds. A minimum of four hours of sleep time is required to register a reading. For users that do not wear their device overnight, RHR was determined as the lowest average reading over a one minute time period during the day. Its possible the latter part may have changed which is causing frustration to some users who are seeing sizeable jumps in RHR readings.
Other changes include a new setting to display a calibration prompt when using a power meter. When using a Vector, this will also allow the user to set the power meter crank length. There is also improved Bluetooth connectivity with Huawei phones and a few software fixes.
Version 8.00 should install itself automatically. You can also do a manual installation via Garmin Express.
The full change log can be seen here.
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