These are the Garmin Fenix 7 features that will be coming to Fenix 6

Owners of Garmin Fenix 6 will be happy to know some of the functionality of Fenix 7 will trickle down to their watch in the coming months.

The new devices were finally released yesterday. This follows lots of speculation, leaks, teasers. ECG functionality did not arrive but Garmin Fenix 7 and Epix 2 do come with some handy hardware as well as a few software updates.

Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets

The Fenix range is top of the line if you are after a multi sports or adventurers watch. Unfortunately, the device does not come cheap. In our separate piece, we compare its features to the Fenix 6. Lots of people are holding on to the previous generation so may be wondering whether it is worth selling their watch and opting for the new one.

The biggest hardware upgrade over Garmin 6 Pro is the touchscreen functionality of the Fenix 7, along with a better GPS chip and longer battery life. To remind, Pro features now come as default to all generation 7 watches.

Is there enough to entice owners of 6 Pro to upgrade? We suspect – for many people – not. Those with Fenix 6 watches, however, have a better case for upgrading.

Garmin 7 and Epix 2 features that will be coming to Fenix 6

But what about software? Fenix 7 and Epix 2 come with a bunch of new features. Which of these will be trickling down to the Fenix 6 range?

In his review of Fenix 7, DC Rainmaker lists a bunch of these. He should know as he has a close working relationship with Garmin. No doubt, the new watch was in his hands weeks before it saw the official reveal.

According to him, the specific list of features that will be coming to the Fenix 6 series consists of:

• Health Snapshot. This also includes heart rate variability data.
• Run/Walk/Stand Detection (in a workout)
• HIIT 2.0 Activity profiles and workouts
• Better blood oxygen error handling and spot checks
• SkiView Ski maps (with the new resort/runs/XXC ski trails features)
• Additional activity profiles such as wind surfing, kite surfing, adventure race, pickle ball, tennis, Padel and snowshoe.
• Additional bike profiles. This includes eBike, eMTB, Gravel, Road, Mountain, Indoor, Cyclocross, Commute and Tour.

All of this is great news for previous generation Fenix users. Sure, they are minor updates but they do narrow the gap between the last two generations.

These features will be rolled out over the course of several months, so don’t expect them tomorrow. Having said that, some of them are already here. Garmin has released a software update a few days ago that adds HIIT workouts and some of the above listed activity profiles.

However, there are a few obvious omission that probably won’t be coming to Fenix 6. The new Real-Time Stamina metric is one of them. Its aim is to help users manage exertion during running or bike activities. 

Some of the other features that are missing are Up Ahead (summary of key trail points coming up), Vo2 Max (Trail run), on-device map manager and phone assisted device configuration.

For those that only want the best – the Fenix 7 and Epix 2 watches are now available for purchase on Amazon (links: Fenix 7, Epix 2).

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