Garmin Fenix 8 has the capability to send text messages from the device. But, can you send the text messages from Fenix 8 when your phone is not nearby. Or, what would be the possibility of using the Fenix 8 to send messages when you are not carrying the paired smartphone.
How does text messaging work?
Before we discuss the possibility of sending text messages through the Fenix 8 smartwatch, we must try and understand how the text messaging works.
Text messaging needs a valid access to the cellular or satellite network. Text messages can be propagated to another user through an underlying network. Such an underlying network could be a cellular connection or a satellite network.
What network connectivity does Fenix 8 have?
Fenix 8 does not have LTE connectivity or satellite connectivity. So, the ability to send text messages directly through the Fenix 8 smartwatch does not exist in the watch.
In other words, the Fenix 8 would need a cellular network or satellite network of a paired device. These networks could be provided by the smartphone that is paired with the Fenix 8 smartwatch.
So, we cannot send text messages from the Fenix 8 smartwatch when the paired smartphone is not nearby. When the paired smartphone is near the Fenix 8, the watch will rely on the Bluetooth connection between the watch and the phone.
- So, you will write a text message on the Fenix 8 smartwatch.
- Using the Bluetooth connection between the Fenix 8 smartwatch and the paired smartphone, the text message gets sent out from the Fenix 8 to the paired smartphone.
- Once the text message reaches the paired smartphone, the cellular connection of the smartphone is used to send the message to the intended recipient.
For the entire process to work seamlessly, we need to ensure:
- The quality of Bluetooth connection between the Fenix 8 and paired smartphone is good.
- The Fenix 8 smartwatch and the paired smartphone must be adequately charged.
Apart from the cellular connection, you could use the satellite connectivity offered through the inReach network of Garmin.
In such a case, the text message from the Fenix 8 will be sent out to the smartphone. The smartphone will use the inReach network and satellite connectivity to send the text message to the intended recipient or recipients.