Once upon a time, Fossil seemed more committed to Wear OS smartwatches than Google or Samsung, but the company has now confirmed that it is exiting the smartwatch game and will not be making any more models.
The move was a “strategic decision” made in response to how “the smartwatch landscape has evolved significantly,” Fossil spokesperson Amanda Castelli told The Verge. Relevant resources will now be redirected to the “core segments” of the Fossil business.
This isn't a huge surprise, as the latest Fossil smartwatch, the Fossil Gen 6, was released in September 2021 and since then there hasn't been any indication that a series of Gen 6 devices could be in the works.
The Fossil spokesperson said existing Fossil smartwatches will continue to be supported “for years to come,” so if you already have one of these wearable devices on your wrist, you'll still be eligible for updates for the foreseeable future.
Your other options
While this isn't a completely unexpected development, it's still a shame: Fossil was committed to keeping Android users with smartwatch options long before the first Google Pixel Watch came out.
Fossil watches are typically very well built and stylishly designed, and their Wear OS options were no different. The products regularly impressed us, and Fossil also released some interesting hybrid technology in the form of watches that were only half-smart.
No more Fossil smartwatches are coming now, so if you're looking for a new Wear OS watch, you might want to check out our Google Pixel 2 review, our Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 review, or our Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 review. Check out the 6 Classic review.
If you have an iPhone, you'll probably lean towards the Apple Watch 9 or Apple Watch Ultra 2, although for pairing with iPhones and Android devices it's also worth checking out the best Garmin smartwatches.
