Garmin has rolled out a new beta software update for several of its flagship smartwatches, less than a month after the launch of System Software 20.19 resulted in unexpected stability issues. The update, known as Beta Version 20.20, is being distributed to devices including the Fenix 8, Fenix 8 Pro, Enduro 3 and Tactix 8.
System Software 20.19 marked the first unified development cycle for the company’s latest smartwatch family and was intended to conclude the lengthy 20.xx beta phase. Garmin said at the time that the release would bring feature parity across models such as the Fenix 8 and Fenix 8 Pro, which retails for roughly US$1,199. However, shortly after the rollout, users began reporting repeated crashes in day-to-day tasks.
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The company stated in a forum post that it has now addressed these issues. According to the posting, the new beta resolves “possible crash when maps are locked” and “possible crash when using the flashlight shortcut,” as well as correcting a problem where the SOS alarm countdown would not activate during sleep. Garmin added that the update is intended to stabilise critical functions while broader fixes continue.
Users hoping for a rapid transition back to the stable release channel may need to wait. Garmin indicated that Beta Version 20.20 will not be the final test build before a new full software release is ready, though it did not provide a specific timeline. Developers are expected to continue gathering data on watch performance during the current beta cycle.
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The company has not disclosed whether further issues may lead to feature changes or delays for future firmware updates. For now, Garmin says the priority is ensuring reliability following the unexpected disruption caused by System Software 20.19.
Source: Garmin