Polar Vantage V2 Gets Power Updates
As promised, Polar has delivered new Power functions that complete the running power offering on the recently-released Vantage V2.
The newest feature that more of us will use will be the zone pointers for power and speed zones, these are mixed-format charts with numbers and a gauge to show you current zone for running/cycling. This feature works well alongside the existing Zone Lock capability and merely adds new metrics to the HR ZONE POINTER that was already available.
The more important but less widely used new feature will be the addition of phased training targets based on POWER. This provides credibility to Polar’s seriousness. Initially, this is only available to configure via the smartphone app with the desktop side of it coming on stream early next year.
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It’s a little disappointing that the desktop side of power target creation isn’t ready now but, for me, the app-based workaround is fine. Putting that to one side, this new feature effectively fills the gaps in Polar running-with-power offering. It’s now complete, although lesser features will hopefully continue to be added.
Vantage 1 owners will likely be fuming that their watches haven’t got this update and rightly so, in my opinion. They bought a top-end watch and it’s not unreasonable to expect a feature set to be properly completed.
More: Polar Vantage V2 Detailed Review
Other Polar News
In other Polar new, the Flow service is discontinuing the FEED in January 2021. #Shrug
Even More Polar News
The H10 also has a minor update which improves connectivity with Polar BEAT and cached workouts.
You Guessed it – MORE Polar News
You can now share training sessions with friends as a link from FLOW.
Here are the full details of that firmware release
Polar Vantage V2 – Firmware Version number: 2.0.6
Detailed Improvements/fixes in this release:
- Create simple training targets based on power
- ZonePointer for power and speed zones (Power limits data field or Speed/pace ZonePointer data field)
- Last lap details training views
- Turn off watch and Reset all data and settings (factory reset) functions added
- Your name watch face view added
- You can now manually skip a phase during a phased training session
- You can see your distance covered and time elapsed when pausing a session
- You can silence a phone call from the watch
- Other bug fixes and quality improvements
Polar Vantage V2 – I Never Knew That – Frequently Asked Questions
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Still no drills added(pool swim), was in app prior to release and then removed, some country polar branches claimed it would return with this update… guess it wont come ever
it’ll come!
When ? 🙂
Adding insult to injury, the Polar Flow app doesn’t prevent you from creating a power based training if you don’t own a V2. I just created one and synced it to my Vantage M. As expected, it doesn’t work. It shows up as a regular no limits run. 🙁
well…yes.
I’m just hoping (and it is hoping based on zero info) that Polar will still backport this.
Also works the same on a v800 (shows up, but no limits so just a phased workout without zones)… I was shocked it loaded at all, and it does cause the watch to freak out a bit (have to “restart” each time a workout with/without power is loaded to it (even when removing, it still has to restart) or it won’t go into the activities screen until the restart.
My secret hope, is there are a horde of v800 “Polar devs” still there that are like some of us that really want to keep using it, that might sneak in a new firmware update, but right now, it’s a bit too much to expect, compared to the earlier Vantage gens which are in the same base OS and sensor driver stacks now essentially as the v2, unlike the v800 which was totally different sensors/support stack.
One can hope, at first I thought I’d bricked my watch when it refused to go into activities, but the reboot fixed that, and then it looked like it REALLY wants to cooperate with the workout, but as with the Vantage gen1s, it just shows up no limits (but since it WILL sync the data back, with recorded power, it can still be used to complete a workout, you just have to know the respective phases/zones that are required and do them appropriately.)
I only tested it a bit, it was clear that since there is no “powerpointer” included in older models, the phased workouts won’t work, I’m guessing without that code to hook into on the watch, it just dumps that part of the workout interaction segment.
Still, I was very surprised that Flow didn’t include an actual “hw-device detection block” to prevent the workout loading at all with power phases. That means either it’s an oversight at this point, or MAYBE it’s worth holding out dim hope….
dim indeed !
With adding power updates and removing some bugs, what do you think about future updates? What features will Polar focus on?
i guess 3rd party training plan integration would be a notable gap in their offering
Good point. Also a connection with zwift would be positive with so many people training inside.
maybe, Polar H10 does broadcast over multiple BLE channels
I can’t see broadcasting of pace happening.
People have to shout about what they want. Polar does listen.
Manual FIT file upload to Flow would be nice
nah
external devices benefitting from FLOW’s algorithms…wont happen
just wanted to upload my zwift ride 🙂
a dongle/bridge should do it
Yea it does( you have power and cadence from trainer ) but I mean riding in erg mean distance and speed will be wrong plus in vv2 you cant set wheel size less than 100
wsw
According to you, what are the three most accurate watches for GPS accuracy right now?
this lists the least inaccurate in a spreadsheet: https://the5krunner.com/2016/11/05/test-route-for-gps-devices/
you don’t have to take my word for it either as you can download any of those files for yourself.
“Turn off watch and Reset all data and settings (factory reset) functions added.”
We’re about to hit 2021, and it has taken them this long to allow you to turn the watch off.
Brilliant.
IIRC you could press and hold the red button to turn it off
it was some restart, used on early vv1 softwares when some bug occured
It’s a restart and not a power off. Once you turned that watch on, there was no way to turn off, other than letting the battery die. Every polar I have ever encountered did not have a way to just power it off. Suunto is the same way.
At least Coros had the sense to have a power off button from the get-go.
ah yes, ty
This basically makes the V2 feature complete for me:
– V2 does now record power correctly from my Kickr Core which has been a problem with previous Vantage models
– With the running test, there is a way to determine running power zones
– I also really like the Power and Pace gauges (= this update)
Maybe, it is only me but switching between workout views with two gauges (e.g., HR at the top and pace at the bottom) is super slow for me (= approx. 3s).
Also, swimming is still a little buggy for me and sometimes does not record any distance. Hopefully, Polar will clean that one up next.
Phased Power now available on the Web platform, and it works a treat 🙂
i saw the announcement and assumed it was the same as on the app from last quarter.
https://the5krunner.com/2020/12/17/polar-vantage-v2-power-updates