BioCharge still pending as Amazfit T-Rex 3 gains running dynamics

Zepp Health has started rolling out firmware version 3.10.4.1 to the T-Rex 3. The update introduces running dynamics like ground contact time, vertical oscillation and vertical ratio, along with expanded sport navigation support and improved altitude tracking. BioCharge is still missing for now, but expected to arrive soon.

New run dynamics now available

With this latest firmware, the T-Rex 3 now supports three new advanced running metrics: ground contact time, vertical oscillation and vertical ratio. These can be found under the “Step Class” section when customising data fields for outdoor running, treadmill or track run activities. Or in the detailed run analytics in the smartphone app.

These metrics will be familiar to Garmin or Apple Watch users, especially those who pair watches with chest straps. They are also available on the recent crop of Zepp Health watches, including the T-Rex 3 Pro.

They, essentially, add depth to the company’s running analytics toolkit. Ground contact time tells you how long your foot stays on the ground with each step. Vertical oscillation tracks how much you move up and down while running, and vertical ratio is the efficiency balance between your bounce and stride length. All three are useful when assessing running form and could help spot inefficiencies or injury risks.

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This update doesn’t require a chest strap. The watch is using its onboard sensors to estimate these values.

More sports now support maps and routes

A surprisingly wide range of sports has also gained support for maps and route navigation. This includes outdoor skating, hunting, sailing, skateboarding, paddleboarding, roller skating, horseback riding, tubing, dragon boating, water skiing, kayaking, rowing, polo and something listed as “tailwave surfing.”

For activities like kayaking or sailing, route guidance and breadcrumb maps can be genuinely useful. It’s unclear whether these will offer full turn-by-turn navigation or just basic route overlays, but either way, this expands the usefulness of the watch beyond traditional fitness tracking.

Barometric altimeter gets more precise & more

The update also improves the T-Rex 3’s barometric height readings. These are used to calculate elevation gain, stairs climbed and similar metrics. According to the changelog, this should now produce more accurate altitude data during everyday activities, not just workouts.

Anyone using the watch for trail running or hiking will welcome this. Elevation tracking can often be the weakest point of wrist-based devices, especially when pressure fluctuations or weather changes throw off readings.

The update also throws in special character support for Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese. And there are now two new keyboard layouts: QWERTZ and AZERTY. This makes the T-Rex 3 slightly more usable when entering text on the device itself, although most users likely won’t use the keyboard often.

Change-log

Version number: 3.10.4.1
Update package size: 13.84 MB

1. New running dynamics added: ground contact time, vertical oscillation and vertical ratio.
   (Path: Outdoor Run / Treadmill / Track Run > Settings > More > Data Pages > Edit Data > Step Class > Ground Contact Time / Vertical Oscillation / Vertical Ratio)
2. The following sports now support map view and route navigation: outdoor skating, hunting, sailing, skateboarding, paddleboarding, roller skating, horseback riding, tubing, dragon boat, water skiing, kayaking, rowing, polo and tailwave surfing.
3. Optimised barometric altitude calculation for more accurate elevation data during daily activities.
4. The ABC keyboard now supports special characters for Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese, as well as new layouts QWERTZ and AZERTY.
5. Other known issues have been resolved.

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