Garmin Smartwatch Outage: Users Left Frustrated by Malfunctioning Devices

Around the globe, many Garmin smartwatch users are reporting significant functionality issues, leaving them dissatisfied with the company's response and support systems.

Garmin, a leading smartwatch manufacturer, is under fire as numerous users worldwide report that their devices have unexpectedly stopped functioning. Many have expressed their discontent over social media, sharing experiences of encountering a blue triangle when attempting to power on their Fenix 8 watches and remaining stranded at the startup screen.

While not all models appear to be impacted, incidents have primarily been linked to the premium Fenix 8 line, which retails at just under £1,000 ($1,200). In light of these complaints, Garmin has acknowledged the issue and recommended users perform a reset, promising to provide updates regarding a permanent fix as more information becomes available.

Fed-up customers have criticized Garmin’s handling of the situation, expressing frustration over the lengthy response time and lack of adequate solutions. Initial advice included resetting the smartwatch and syncing it with the Garmin app; however, many users have reported that this method was ineffective, leading to repeated attempts at factory resets, often without success. “Their instructions don't fix it and Garmin are silent,” lamented one disheartened user on X.

High-profile individuals, including Absolute Radio DJ Leona Graham, have also taken to social media, sharing their woes along with documentation of the blue triangle issue.

Per Garmin's official site, several models are experiencing issues, including:
- Approach Watches
- Edge Cycling Computers
- Epix Watches
- Fenix Watches
- Forerunner Watches
- Instinct Series Watches
- Vivoactive 4 and 5
- Venu 3 and 3S

While experts suspect that a recent update may have hindered these devices' ability to communicate effectively with GPS, Garmin has yet to clarify the underlying cause of the outage. The company's tepid outreach on platforms like social media has further frustrated its customer base, with one user urging, “You should really prioritize your current customers and the ongoing issue with many watches.” As it stands, Garmin faces the challenge of regaining the trust of its clientele amid this ongoing tech turmoil.