Garmin Fenix 8 Firmware 22.39 Fails to End Battery Drain as Wi-Fi, SpO2 Emerge

1 articles · Updated · Notebookcheck.net · Jul 19

Firmware 22.39, released to curb Fenix 8 battery drain, has not fully solved the problem, with at least one user reporting heavy power loss after updating.
User feedback points to a likely trigger: recent software can keep Wi-Fi active after the watch is unplugged following a Spotify playlist sync, a power-hungry state that would quickly cut battery life.
Version 22.35 also appears to have re-enabled continuous blood oxygen monitoring on some watches, another setting that significantly increases power use even without a deeper code fault.
Garmin has often addressed similar post-update drain complaints with later patches, but users have also found a full factory reset can restore normal battery performance.