The Garmin Q1-2026 update adds features but not all of the watch’s benefits
Garmin has started rolling out its February 2026 software update and it affects many products at once. Gear tracking gets a proper fix and the new watches take on features like a course planner, mixed times and sleep alignment, but the comparison tables make it clear that access is largely dependent on which model you have.
The update includes devices like the Venu X1, vivoactive 6, Forerunner 570 and 970 as well as the latest fēnix and Enduro watches, as well as limited updates for others. On paper it looks generous. Functionally it reinforces the traditional divide between new and old computer hardware. And this seems to be a choice rather than a result of hardware limitations.
Gear tracking finally feels complete
Gear tracking is where Garmin has done some real work this time around. This feature now supports many types of gear, includes a searchable database of shoes and bike models and allows you to group items into collections. Once set up, the gear can be assigned tasks without much thought.
What’s even more helpful is that some watches now display gear usage directly on the wrist, including a simple progress indicator. It changes gear tracking from something you remember to go into to something that just runs in the background. This part of the update sits well and feels dated.
New features remain uneven
Other additions to the topic are the course editor and sports scores. The course planner lets you create a race or long effort in Garmin Connect, complete it with set times and checkpoints, and track it on the watch. Sports scores bring live match information to your wrist when paired with a phone.
Alongside that is multi-session tracking, extended Garmin Fitness Coach programs, sleep optimization and lifestyle cuts for things like caffeine and alcohol. In the latest watches these features come naturally. In older models many of them do not appear at all.
Looking at the comparison tables, a pattern is apparent. New and older watches get almost everything. Mid-range models get some of it. Older devices and certain Edge computers either depend on the phone app or miss it entirely.
So are old devices left behind
This is what most of the controversy revolves around. People with new watches are very positive about the update – no surprise there. But those on devices that are only a few years old aren’t so comfortable, especially when the missing features feel like software decisions rather than hard hardware limitations.
From Garmin’s point of view, this is common ground. New features often go forward with new launches and come back from time to time. It’s less about price or materials and more about where the device now sits in Garmin’s current lineup.
From the user’s side, that can sound frustrating. A watch that is only a few years old can suddenly fall into a gray area where it still works well but stops picking up new software ideas. If those features seem mostly software-driven, the gap becomes hard to justify.
The February 2026 update takes things forward in some meaningful ways. Tracking gears finally feels useful. Training tools are flexible. Accessibility supplements are important for people who really need them.
At the same time, it also shows how the system is determined. Two watches that look very similar on paper can now feel very different in everyday use. That gap doesn’t look like it’s closing anytime soon, and it’s something people will remember when Garmin’s next round hits the world.
Sources: Garmin Quarterly Update, press release
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