A new update for Garmin watches should make it much easier to install the apps you want without reaching for your smartphone.
According to the anonymous author of the5krunner, who regularly receives insider tips about forthcoming Garmin updates, the new update should be arriving within a month. We've not seen any hint of it in any alpha or beta updates so far, but presumably that's because it's a new version of the Connect IQ app installed on your watch, not related to the operating system.
In case the name isn't familiar, Connect IQ is Garmin's app store, where you can download additional apps, faces, and data fields for your watch. It's easiest to use on your phone, where it has its own app, but many devices (including my Fenix 7S, which you can see above) also offer limited access directly from your wrist.
To reach it, press the start/pause button on the top right of your watch's case to access the list of activities and apps, then scroll down until you find Connect IQ. Select this and wait a moment for it to load, then select 'Recommended apps' to see what Garmin reckons you might like.
You can scroll through its suggestions and either install them straight away (a process that takes quite a while), or select 'Learn more' to open the relevant page in the smartphone app. It's OK, but a pretty limited experience that only skims the surface of what Connect IQ actually has to offer.
Details of the forthcoming update are scant, but it sounds as though it may allow you to browse through apps and install them directly via Wi-Fi, which should be faster. You may even be able to browse through apps other than those suggested by Garmin, and the whole experience will apparently look more attractive, too.
I'm looking forward to seeing what the new update will bring, and will keep you posted as soon as more details emerge.
- Best Garmin watches: all the latest models tested and rated
