Garmin Fenix 8 could get a massive upgrade in the form of LTE

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Cellular service, so you can leave your phone behind

Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED watch on wrist
(Image credit: Future / Matt Evans)
  • Garmin could be adding LTE to the Fenix 8
  • A new leaked screenshot could point to inclusion of cellular support in a future model
  • It would be the first LTE Garmin since the 2021 Forerunner 945 LTE

A new leak purportedly reveals that Garmin may be preparing to launch an LTE version of its best Garmin watch, the Garmin Fenix 8, which would let users leave their phone behind in more scenarios providing your watch is added to a data plan.

Garmin hasn't offered LTE – cellular connectivity for making calls, streaming music, and more – on its smartwatches since the Forerunner 945 LTE, which launched in 2021. If this leak is real and shows us what we think it does, that could be about to change.

Gadgets and Wearables claims to have acquired a screenshot "showing a Fenix 8 device with LTE appearing as one of the connectivity options during the troubleshooting pairing process, sitting alongside Wi-Fi, Phone, and Sensor & Accessories."

The screenshot clearly reveals an LTE settings option. If it's real, it could mean users will eventually have the option to buy an LTE-capable version of the Fenix 8.

Garmin Fenix 8 LTE?

garmin LTe screenshot

(Image credit: Gadgets and Wearables)

As the report notes, LTE inclusion in the Fenix 8 could denote a couple of things. Garmin could choose to restrict LTE to safety features like emergency alerts and live tracking, so your friends and family can more readily see your location even if you've ventured off without your phone.

A more exciting upgrade would be LTE as we know it on most watches, which enables streaming of music, calls, and texts. It's a mainstay option on many of the best smartwatches, including the best Apple Watches in 2025, and an obvious gap in Garmin's repertoire.

The veracity of this leak is impossible to determine at this stage, but there's no reason to suspect Garmin couldn't pull off an LTE Fenix 8. Naturally, cellular requires modified hardware, so this would be a more expensive new model that customers could buy from Garmin, rather than an upgrade to existing devices.

Garmin has endured a torrid 2025, notable for a massive outage and the beleaguered launch of its very unpopular Garmin Connect+ subscription service, which has generated a slew of user outcry because of its very shallow feature set and a general aversion to subscription fatigue from customers.

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Stephen Warwick
Stephen Warwick
Fitness & Wearables writer

Stephen Warwick is TechRadar's Fitness & Wearables writer with nearly a decade of experience covering technology, including five years as the News Editor of iMore. He's a keen fitness enthusiast and is never far from the local gym, Apple Watch at the ready, to record his latest workout. Stephen has experience writing about every facet of technology including products, services, hardware, and software. He's covered breaking news and developing stories regarding supply chains, patents and litigation, competition, politics and lobbying, the environment, and more. He's conducted interviews with industry experts in a range of fields including finance, litigation, security, and more. Outside of work, he's a massive tech and history buff with a passion for Rome Total War, reading, and music. 

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