New backlight levels in 2.26.8

[inkognito]

Since the beta version made it to production, let’s openly discuss the “Readability improvement through font color changes and backlight improvements” in the newest 2.26.8 firmware.

To start with, I am totally fine with firmware updates that generally contain nothing but bugfixes and improve the general stability and usability of the watch. Honestly, I did not expect anything else 5 years after the initial release.

What I really did not expect was the decrease in usability of my watch due to the “improved” lowest backlight level. My S9 is now way too bright during the night…

Obviously, testers are now focused on the new Vertical or perhaps still S9PP. That’s understandable. Thanks to the adaptive backlight, that might not be an issue there. I don’t know…

But for S9 and S9B, the “Low” backlight became annoyingly bright at night. Has anyone tried to hike with this after the sunset? For me, it is unpleasant and disturbing.
How is this supposed to increase readability? If someone considered previous “Low” is too low, there were “Medium” and “High” options available. No need to increase “Low” brightness. It even feels like the readability is in fact worse during the day, since the contrast of S9 is not ideal and gets even worse with increasing backlight…

Previously, the backlight felt like 15/20% - 50% - 100% (Low – Medium – High). Low was already quite bright compared to choices we had before (0 – 100% in 5% steps).
Now it feels like 30 – 50 – 100. Even the DND backlight feels brighter now.

I never thought I will say this, but this forces me to downgrade my watch to 2.23.24. And it feels like an alarming message – you might be happy with your watch now, but one day Suunto may unexpectedly change some basic aspect and make it less useable for you… Outdoor watch that blinds you at night…

Am I the only one?

[Egika]

For me, the “low” setting is actually very usable.
So if a change in light levels is good or bad, is a matter of perception.

Some will always like the change and other won’t.

[inkognito]

@Egika That proves that the original implementation in 5% steps was the best

[cosme.costa]

@inkognito I do not use backlight in normal watch use, in fact for me the new low level is quite ok. But in the same line than you I do not understand why they have removed some options, like the 5% brightness steps some time ago or the backlight only in activities in this last firmware.
I usually run in the dark with a headlamp (at least 8 months a year) and only use back light in activities where it is very useful for me, right now I have disabled backlight if I can’t not have it only in activities. Backlight only in activities was a big improvement for me and now I have lost it

[surfboomerang]

@cosme-costa said in New backlight levels in 2.26.8:

Backlight only in activities was a big improvement for me and now I have lost it

Same goes for me. Please bring it back Suunto.

[rooldaa]

@inkognito this is the only time I feel ok not having updates for my Spartan Ultra 5% adjustment is still there.

[Dimitrios Kanellopoulos]

Isn’t there standby light ?

[inkognito]

@Dimitrios-Kanellopoulos Yes, there is. But that does not solve my “problem”: I do not need (or even want) any backlight most of the time and when I need it, I want it to be low enough… Also upon any button press, backlight would go from Standby level to newly increased “Low” (that is not really low anymore for me)…

The only solution for me with 2.26.8 is probably to use DND (which also decreases backlight), but then I lose alerts and notifications…

I have a crazy (or even utopistic) idea: the level of “Low” backlight has to be defined by one simple variable in the code, no? Cannot somebody compile lets say “2.26.8.1859-F” firmware with that variable set to 10% instead of the current increased value?

[Dimitrios Kanellopoulos]

@inkognito I wish I could

[Łukasz Szmigiel]

Let’s have a custom FW generator where users can set their own values into variables

[inkognito]

@Łukasz-Szmigiel That sounds way too anarchistic For starters, let’s introduce the very novel backlight implementation where user can choose any backlight intensity in, let’s say, 5% steps… Improved readability and satisfaction guaranteed… Oh wait, we already had this…

[Dimitrios Kanellopoulos]

@inkognito I hear your concerns. Please do also raise this with support.

[Łukasz Szmigiel]

@inkognito yeah finding a good balance between too much and too little is hard.

But you have my vote for more detailed settings in regards to backlight and haptics. Ideally split into in and out of workout.

[inkognito]

@Dimitrios-Kanellopoulos I don’t know if I really want to contact support with this or anything else ever again… I thought we have this forum for such things…

I contacted support like 10 times in the past 5 years… Literally every case went like this:

1. I clearly described my issue/suggestion, stated important details and/or all the things I tried to solve the problem (soft reset etc.).
2. Support paid attention only to every third word and started with obivous things I already knew (like “try the soft reset” even when I specifically stated that I did that and it did not help).
3. Then I tried again and again, trying to persuade them that I know what I’m talking about… Support still reacted like I was a noob…
4. In the end, they replied that they’re pushing the issue further… After that nothing ever happened…

Honestly, this was extremely demotivating every time…

[Łukasz Szmigiel]

@inkognito been there, done that.

[Brad_Olwin]

@inkognito How do you know nothing happened. I agree you were not contacted but you should not assume nothing happened.

[inkognito]

@Brad_Olwin Let’s say “nothing effectively happened”. Unfortunately, the effect or result is what matters the most for user.

E.g. here are some bugs I discussed with support during last years

1. S9/S9B: Scroll down to “Training” (that round progress circle with weekly goal) and swipe to the side until you reach that little chart with duration of activities in this and last 3 weeks. First you see values for all activities titled “All activities” (e.g. for me it shows 8:31h 3 weeks average and a chart). If you tap the screen, it shows charts and values for selected individual activities (for me the first is waking with 2:33h 3 weeks average, title is “Walking”). And now, from any of those individual activities, swipe back to “Training plan” and forward. Now it shows chart and values related to the individual activity (2:33h in my case), but the title is “All activities” (instead of “Walking” in my case). Reported years ago… Still there…

2. When I had my Spartan Trainer, I bought a “Wahoo RPM Speed” bike pod. Every time I used it and paused my activity, it added some random distance… There was clearly some bug… I reported this multiple times to support, provided logs and links to activities and occasionally checked whether the bug was solved… After 3 firmware updates I simply stopped checking since nothing happened… Meanwhile I read about other people having the same problem and fighting with support that does not seem to acknowledge the issue…

3. Remember call notifications that were never deleted from S9? Right now I see zombie notification from phone call I missed 35 hours ago…

4. Remember crashes at the beginning of activities several months ago? It took a long time until support even acknowledged the problem. People were already discussing it here, on facebook and reddit for a long time, many stated that they reported it to support… And support always acted like they hear about it for the first time…

I know that things are not easy for support and that there are things of various priorities. But I feel that I wasted hours contacting support for no effect…

Why should I do it now when the probability of a change is negligible (especially for 5 years old model)?

I know that these “complains” are not constructive at all… Problem is that every time I tried to constructively discuss with support, I did not see any results or outcome apart from feeling that they don’t trust me…

[olivier.cornelissen]

@inkognito
If you set brightness to low and activate energy saving settings, it seems to be the same brightness as before. Wouldn’t that solve your issue?
M

[inkognito]

@olivier-cornelissen Start an activity and see for yourself Backlight will increase immediately once you choose any sport…

[A Former User]

@inkognito said in New backlight levels in 2.26.8:

@Dimitrios-Kanellopoulos I don’t know if I really want to contact support with this or anything else ever again… I thought we have this forum for such things…

I contacted support like 10 times in the past 5 years… Literally every case went like this:

1. I clearly described my issue/suggestion, stated important details and/or all the things I tried to solve the problem (soft reset etc.).
2. Support paid attention only to every third word and started with obivous things I already knew (like “try the soft reset” even when I specifically stated that I did that and it did not help).
3. Then I tried again and again, trying to persuade them that I know what I’m talking about… Support still reacted like I was a noob…
4. In the end, they replied that they’re pushing the issue further… After that nothing ever happened…

Honestly, this was extremely demotivating every time…

I may be mistaken, but the “weight” of a claim (or various ) via a support line vs a forum may be different. With support lines I believe there will be a better quantification of how many people had the issue.
With Garmin is similar, we report the bugs on forum, but once you contact support and open a ticket I have the feeling that it creates much more awareness and things go solved faster.

But I understand your frustration. Fortunately the times I contacted support were not for big issues, but yes the answers were a bit on the basic side (reset). But in suunto’s (or other brand) defense, this approach maybe solve 80% of the issues.