Garmin launches Venu X1 smartwatch amid battery concerns

Garmin has released the Venu X1, a premium smartwatch designed for athletes seeking a balance between daily lifestyle use and fitness tracking. The device features a large 2-inch AMOLED display and a slim, lightweight design. While it includes advanced features such as Garmin Pay, music, and various sports profiles, it prioritizes comfort and screen visibility over extreme ruggedness or long-term battery endurance compared to dedicated outdoor models.

Separately, users of certain Garmin models, including the Fenix 8 and Forerunner 970, have reported significant battery drain following a recent update. The issue is linked to the ‘OK Garmin’ active listening voice command feature. Because the microphone and processor must remain active in the background to detect the command, users have seen battery life projections drop by as much as 35% to 50%, leading many to disable the function to preserve device longevity.