Garmin Venu owners rejoice – a new update is winging its way to your watch, which should greatly improve its GPS performance. As explained in a post on Garmin's forums, the update to software version 7.80 should fix a problem that sometimes occurred when the watch attempted to secure a GPS lock, and "made improvements to GPS ephemeris data".
Ephemeris data is information about a GPS satellite and its constellation, including its location, timing, and status. This data is used by GPS devices on Earth to estimate their position relative to the satellite (and therefore their own location).
The update also corrects a couple of other bugs, including a problem that sometimes occurs when pairing the watch with your phone for the first time after powering it on, and some security issues involving Garmin Connect IQ (Garmin's smartwatch app store). Swiping through options on the watch face editor page should also be easier, making it more straightforward to get the look you want.
The new software version is rolling out now. To make sure you get it, go to your watch's settings menu and make sure that automatic updates are enabled. Don't be alarmed if you seem to get multiple updates, either; one Venu owner on Reddit reported that their watch received three updates overnight.
Still going strong
Although it was first released in 2019, the Garmin Venu remains an attractive and impressive watch that does a good job bridging the gap between smartwatches and dedicated sports watches. It was the first Garmin watch to feature an AMOLED display, which is much more vivid and striking than the screens of Fenix and Forerunner watches, and regular software updates mean its sports tracking features have kept up with newer devices, too.
It was succeeded by the Garmin Venu 2 last year, and the Garmin Venu 2 Plus (which also has a microphone) in January 2022. However, if you're looking for a good looking watch, the original Venu has stood the test of time well, and is now available for much less than the list price. Here are the best deals we've found from around the web:
- The best Garmin watches: all the latest models tested and rated
