I expected the new features of the Garmin Fenix series 9 to soon come to older watches like the Fenix 8 and Forerunner 970, and DC Rainmaker has now confirmed that’s happening.
For the past 15 years, Garmin followed a predictable rule: when a brand-new watch generation launched, previous generations stayed behind. If you bought a Fenix 7, you didn’t get the headline software tricks introduced on the Fenix 8. To get the best new tools, you had to upgrade your hardware.
That long-standing strategy has officially changed. Ray Maker over at DC Rainmaker has confirmed that Garmin is bringing almost all of the new software features from the newly announced Fenix 9 series back to existing, recent watches.
Here is what you need to know about this major update, what features are coming, and which watches are on the support list.
Why Is Garmin Doing This Now?
Behind the scenes, Garmin consolidated its software codebase across product families. Instead of maintaining completely separate code for every model line, modern Garmin wearables share a unified operating system (often referred to as GarminOS).
Because these watches share the same software base, Garmin can roll out new feature updates across multiple watch families at once—meaning owners of recent models don’t get left behind when a new generation debuts.
Which Watches Will Receive the Features?
Garmin is rolling out these new software updates to a wide selection of recent models across their lineup:
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Garmin Fenix 8
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Garmin Fenix 8 Pro
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Garmin Fenix E
- Enduro 3
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Garmin Tactix 8
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Garmin Forerunner 970
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Garmin Forerunner 570
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Garmin Venu X1
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Garmin Venu 4
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Garmin Vivoactive 6
(Note: Certain mid-range or specialized models will only receive features supported by their specific hardware. For instance, watches without built-in mapping hardware won’t gain map-based features.)
What New Features Are Coming?
The list of software upgrades rolling back to existing watches is extensive. Here are the main highlights:
1. Major Upgrades for Rucking
Rucking—walking with a weighted pack—gets a major dedicated feature set:
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Calorie accuracy: Improved algorithms now directly calculate pack weight into your calorie burn.
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On-watch Target Calculator: Input your pack weight and distance goal directly on your watch to calculate your target effort.
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Mid-workout updates: Easily adjust your pack weight on the fly during an active workout.
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Dedicated reports: Full post-workout summaries tracking weight, pace, calories, and elevation changes.
2. Enhanced Stamina & Performance Metrics
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Stamina Zones & Curves: New visual graphs for running and cycling help you manage your energy reserves in real time.
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Garmin Epic: A tool inside Garmin Connect and on-device that lets you group multi-day events and continuous endurance adventures into a single event file.
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Rolling GAP (Grade Adjusted Pace): Real-time hill pacing metrics available as custom data fields in both miles and kilometers.
3. Big Improvements for Indoor Rowing
Indoor rowing gets a major focus in this update, including dedicated heart rate zones, power curves, VO2 Max estimation, lactate threshold tracking, and a 5-second countdown timer before starting a set. Indoor rowing activities will also feed into your overall Training Status.
4. Safety & Field Tools
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Garmin Locate: Share your live heart rate, pace, distance, and location data with family or friends directly in the Garmin Messenger app.
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Field Tools: Quick access to essential outdoors tools, including the ABC sensor cluster (Altimeter, Barometer, Compass), height measurements, and reference points.
What Stays Exclusive to the Fenix 9?
While older watches are getting the vast majority of these upgrades, a few hardware-dependent features remain exclusive to the Fenix 9 line:
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New 3D & Perspective Maps: The Fenix 9 uses a redesigned mapping engine that relies on increased memory and updated processor hardware.
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ArcheryX Profile: The dedicated archery tracking sport profile remains exclusive to the Fenix 9.
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Renamed Dynamic Battery Modes: Garmin updated and simplified battery mode naming conventions on the Fenix 9, but won’t retroactively change interface labels on older devices.
When Will the Update Roll Out?
Garmin hasn’t announced a specific calendar release day yet, but the features are expected to roll out across supported models during upcoming quarterly system updates.
If you recently bought a Fenix 8, Forerunner 970, or Venu X1, you can rest easy knowing your current watch is about to get a substantial set of new features for free.
Also Read: Garmin Fenix 9 vs. Fenix 8 (And Pro Models): Every New Upgrade Explained
