- A new Garmin update addresses ghost problems
- Forerunner 570 and forerunner 970 watches have been affected
- Users are still reporting errors in the software
If you own a Garmin Forerunner 570 or Forerunner 970, keep your eyes open to software version 6.18: Patchet is rolled out now and solves problems with Ghost Touches on the newly launched laptops (where a press is registered on the screen even if it has not been touched).
The update was discovered by NotebookCheck and you can see the official lists for the update here and here. The change log says that the update “reduces the occurrence” of ghost tubes rather than eradicating them – so it seems that the problem may not be fully firm.
Your watch should get the update automatically but you can also run a manual control as long as your device is online: from the main menu you have to select System> Software Update> Check for Updates To see if it is available.
It is not clear how many of the precursor 570 and the Forerunner 970 watches have been affected by this. We did not report any problems in our Garmin Forerunner 570 review that described it as “a wonder of a running watch”.
It’s the life of a bug
While the ghost -touch question may be getting closer to being resolved, it seems that the 6.18 -software update has introduced several new errors that users of Forerunner 570 and Forerunner 970 are now trying to bring Garmin’s attention.
It seems that some users have problems with their watch freezing right after the PIN code is entered to unlock it. Another user says that rolling does not work properly when trying to reach the broadcast screen.
There is also a Garmin support wire on high dimeter problems with the precursor 970: The thread was only started a few days ago, but it is not immediately clear whether these problems are related to the 6.18 update that has just been rolled out.
The best course of action, if you own one of these smartwatches is to keep them updated to the latest software version, and if you are experiencing errors, check the Garmin Support Forums – where it should also be said that there are plenty of users who have no problems with their devices or the new update.
