If you follow sports tech, your inbox fills up fast. Most of what lands is minor patches dressed up as news. This cuts through all that with one weekly post covering every feature addition across the major brands, nothing else. Trivial bug fixes are excluded. Subscribe via RSS at the5krunner.com.
Garmin Forerunner 970 / 570 / Venu X1 / Venu 4 / vivoactive 6 — v18.12 beta — 2 July 2026
the5krunner insight: A decent update, with hands-free voice control the addition most owners will notice.
Garmin has pushed beta 18.12 across its 2025 watch line. The Forerunner 970, Forerunner 570, Venu X1, Venu 4 and vivoactive 6 all gain the “OK, Garmin” wake word for hands-free voice control, alongside a quick running workout suggestion and a dedicated indoor cross-country skiing profile. The beta ships with the usual stability fixes, which fall outside this post.
- Hands-free voice control activated with the “OK, Garmin” wake word
- Quick workout suggestion added for running sessions
- Indoor cross-country skiing activity profile added
- Tap or swipe to dismiss the workout step preview and completion banners
- Volume context added to the volume control
- More frequent location updates for more accurate weather data
Find your model’s release notes: Forerunner 970 · Forerunner 570 · Venu X1 · Venu 4 · vivoactive 6
Garmin Fenix 8 / Fenix 8 Pro / Enduro 3 / Tactix 8 / Fenix E — v23.11 beta — 1 July 2026
the5krunner insight: Worth installing for Fenix 8 owners, with the map orientation toggle and indoor cross-country skiing the additions that matter.
The Fenix 8, Fenix 8 Pro, Enduro 3, Tactix 8, Fenix E and Quatix 8 move to beta 23.11. Navigation gains a touch toggle between North Up and Track Up map orientation, and the release adds the indoor cross-country skiing profile and quick running workout suggestion seen elsewhere in the range. Divers can share dive computer settings through the Garmin Share app, and Applied Ballistics users gain Xero range and sensor data. A follow-up beta, 23.12, arrived on 3 July with a treadmill calibration fix and stability work only.
- Map orientation toggle between North Up and Track Up by touch
- Indoor cross-country skiing activity profile added
- Quick workout suggestion added for running sessions
- Sleep suggestions can now be disabled in the evening report
- Tap or swipe to dismiss the workout step preview and completion banners
- More frequent weather location updates
- Volume context added to the volume control
- Dive computer settings can be shared through the Garmin Share app
- Applied Ballistics adds Xero range and sensor data support
Full release notes: Fenix 8 series
Garmin Instinct 3 / Instinct E / Instinct Crossover — v15.11 beta — 30 June 2026
the5krunner insight: A small release, of interest mainly to hikers.
The Instinct 3 AMOLED, Instinct 3 Solar, Instinct E and Instinct Crossover reach beta 15.11. The one qualifying addition improves gear recommendations during hikes. The rest of the release, including a treadmill distance fix and a restored satellite option on the Solar, is bug work that falls outside this post.
- Improved gear recommendations during hiking
Full release notes: Instinct 3 series
Amazfit Cheetah 2 Ultra — v6.1.206.1 — 1 July 2026
the5krunner insight: Worth installing for Cheetah 2 Ultra owners, with expanded route storage and the round GAP data field the substance.
The Amazfit Cheetah 2 Ultra takes its July build, which centres on maps, routing and training data. Route storage rises to 100 routes, offline out-and-back planning gains save and navigate options, and two new data fields arrive for runners. Map downloads can now be managed from the Zepp app.
- Round GAP data field added for outdoor running and trail running, for the last lap or current lap
- HybridCharge added as an on-watch training data field
- Route storage increased to 100 routes
- Offline out-and-back route planning with save only, save and navigate, or navigate only
- Map download management from the Zepp app, with better downloading at low battery
- Improved training elevation accuracy and turn prompt sensitivity
- HRV data can now be written to Apple Health
Full release notes: Amazfit Cheetah 2 Ultra
Amazfit Balance 3 — v6.1.206.1 — 3 July 2026
the5krunner insight: A modest update, mostly map and navigation polish.
The Amazfit Balance 3 shares the July map package. It adds GPS heading in the topographic map app, map scale indicators during workouts and map management from the Zepp app. Zepp Health also claims improved workout altitude accuracy, which is worth testing rather than taking at face value.
- GPS heading added to the topographic map app
- Map scale indicators during workouts (75 m, 200 m, 750 m, 2 km, 8 km, with imperial equivalents)
- Map download management from the Zepp app, including downloads while charging at low battery
- Improved workout altitude accuracy
- Optimised map layers, loading behaviour and digital crown zoom
Full release notes: Amazfit Balance 3
Amazfit Balance 2 — v3.54.2.1 — 30 June 2026
the5krunner insight: A decent update that narrows the gap to the Balance 3, with the HYROX suite and the Next Hard Session metric the additions that matter.
The Amazfit Balance 2 gains the HYROX toolset and moves recovery scoring onto the watch. Next Hard Session replaces Full Recovery Time, telling you when your body can take another hard effort. The watch also works with Helio Core Motion accessories, including the Helio Strap Pro. The release notes reference Strava Live Segments arriving in October, one to watch.
- HYROX templates for full, half and quarter distance, with a race strategy tool for goal planning and live guidance
- Next Hard Session replaces Full Recovery Time for recovery timing
- HybridCharge now viewable on the watch
- Helio Core Motion accessory support, including the Helio Strap Pro
- Resting heart rate now syncs across multiple Amazfit devices through Zepp
- Zepp Flow gains faster responses, flexible volume control and better notification reminders
- Altitude algorithm tuned to reduce ascent and descent spikes
Full release notes: Amazfit Balance 2
Huawei Watch GT 6 / GT 6 Pro — HarmonyOS 6.1 — 1 July 2026
the5krunner insight: Only relevant if you train with running power, which the update brings to the wrist.
Huawei has begun rolling out HarmonyOS 6.1 to the Watch GT 6 series in China. The headline addition measures running power from the wrist, with multi-dimensional insights intended to guide pacing and training adjustments.
- Wrist-based running power measurement
- Multi-dimensional running data insights for pacing and training
Full release notes: Huawei Watch GT 6
No updates this week
Checked and nothing to report for the week ending 4 July 2026: COROS, Suunto, Polar, Wahoo, Hammerhead and Samsung either had no release in the window or released stability and bug fix updates only.
Previous edition: #4 Deep Dive Feature Files: Week Ending 27 June 2026
Quick answers
Does the Garmin Forerunner 970 support hands-free voice control?
Yes. Beta 18.12 adds the “OK, Garmin” wake word, so you can control the watch by voice without pressing a button. The same feature reaches the Forerunner 570, Venu X1, Venu 4 and vivoactive 6.
What is new in the latest Garmin Fenix 8 firmware update?
Beta 23.11 adds a touch toggle between North Up and Track Up map orientation, an indoor cross-country skiing profile, a quick running workout suggestion and the option to disable sleep suggestions in the evening report. Divers can also share settings through the Garmin Share app.
How many routes can the Amazfit Cheetah 2 Ultra store?
The July update raises route storage to 100 routes. It also adds offline out-and-back planning with three options: save only, save and navigate, or navigate only.
Does the Amazfit Cheetah 2 Ultra have a grade-adjusted pace data field?
Yes. The update adds a round GAP field for outdoor running and trail running, selectable for the last lap or the current lap, alongside a HybridCharge training data field.
What is new in the latest Amazfit Balance 2 firmware update?
The update adds a HYROX suite with race templates and a strategy tool, moves HybridCharge onto the watch, and replaces Full Recovery Time with Next Hard Session. It also adds Helio Strap Pro support and syncs resting heart rate across devices.
Does the Amazfit Balance 2 support the Helio Strap Pro?
Yes. The update adds Helio Core Motion accessory support, which makes the Balance 2 compatible with the Helio Strap Pro during HYROX races and simulations.
Does the Huawei Watch GT 6 measure running power?
Yes. The HarmonyOS 6.1 update adds wrist-based running power measurement, with multi-dimensional insights intended to help you control pace and adjust training.
Last Updated on 4 July 2026 by the5krunner
My favourite kit and nutrition
- Injinji – Runners protect your toes. Avoid discomfort and minor injury. Run more. Run faster. I use them.
- Garmin 90-degree charging adapter — The small adapter that keeps your charging cables tidy. Essential for race day. I use one.
- Garmin charging puck — the fastest and most reliable way to top up your Garmin before a session. I use one.
- Ravemen FR300 — Front light that mounts directly under your Garmin or Wahoo head unit. Keeps your bars clean and your beam pointed where it matters. I use one.
- Body Glide – The blue anti-chafe stick that all swimmers and many runners use. I use it.
- Maurten — The race nutrition trusted by elite athletes. Gels and drink mixes engineered to be easy on the stomach. I use them.
- Garmin Varia RTL515 — A radar rear light that alerts you to vehicles approaching from behind. Pairs with your Edge or Garmin watch. I use this model.
- Favero Assioma Pro RS2 — The power-meter pedals most serious cyclists choose. Accurate, easy to move between bikes. I use this model.
- Garmin Forerunner 970 — A serious choice for a pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
- Polar H10 — My daily driver for accurate, waking HRV readings.
- Wahoo ELEMNT Roam 3 — The bike computer that has the feature Garmin lacks: usability. I use mine on most rides.
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tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors. ID
