The most recent update from Garmin includes Sleep Coach for Forerunner smartwatches

Some Forerunner 955 and 965 smartwatches now have the Garmin Sleep Coach thanks to an unexpected beta update. Numerous users reported seeing software version 18.12; Garmin has not yet made available a complete changelog. After the update, suggestions for improving widgets and adding a hiking feature have been made in addition to Sleep Coach.

Users of the Garmin Forerunner 955 and 965 smartwatches have discovered a new beta update, 18.12. A complete changelog and an official announcement of the new software have not yet been made by the company. The primary modification is the inclusion of the Garmin Sleep Coach, which is currently only accessible in English.

Based on variables including age, activity level, past sleep patterns, naps, and HRV data, the Sleep Coach tool—powered by Firstbeat Analytics—offers recommendations for how much sleep you should get. Users of the Garmin Forum have proposed additional enhancements for software v18.12, which include small changes to widgets like adding a clock icon to the time zone widget and improving the touchscreen. It's unclear exactly what improvements the corresponding firmware updates for the Forerunner 965 bring. One owner has shared a breakdown of them, showing that the GPS was upgraded from version 7.99 to 9.03, the Wi-Fi from 28.05 to 28.09, and the Sensor Hub from 27.18 to 28.10. The absence of the ClimbPro tool for the Hiking activity seems to be one software bug.

Version 17.26, the last beta update for the wearable in the 17.xx cycle, was released approximately a month ago. It included new features like naps, additional body battery functionality, and images embedded in smart notifications. To obtain the most recent update, users of the Beta Program for the Garmin Forerunner 955 and 965 must manually check for updates in Settings on their watch. It's unclear when Garmin will formally recognize version 18.12 of the beta update.