Fossil to Exit Smartwatch Business, Gen 6 Hybrid Will Be Last From Company: Report

Fossil Group has announced its exit from the smartwatch category, calling it a strategic move, as per a report. The company entered the smartwatch business nine years ago in 2015 with the Wear OS-powered Fossil Q Founder. It released the Fossil Gen 6 smartwatch in 2021, followed by the Fossil Gen 6 Hybrid in 2022, the last from the smartwatch maker. Fossil's notable absence from the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2024 had led to rumours that it might be leaving the business.

The Verge reported the company's departure from the segment on January 27. Jeff Boyer, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Fossil, told the publication that the decision to exit the smartwatch business was strategic, owing to the significant evolution of the smartwatch landscape. “Fossil Group is redirecting resources to support our core strength and the core segments of our business that continue to provide strong growth opportunities for us,” he added.

Last month, a Reddit user posted that he spoke with one of the company's retail store managers who told them that Fossil will not be bringing a Gen 7 smartwatch. Later, the smartwatch maker's absence from the CES 2024 was also seen as a sign of it exiting the segment.

Despite reportedly leaving the business, Fossil told The Verge that it will continue to support the existing smartwatches that run on Google's Wear OS. The company is expected to offer updates for them “for the next few years.”

The alleged announcement will make the Fossil Gen 6 the last generation of smartwatches from the company, which were launched in 2021. The company's last offering in India was the Fossil Gen 6 Hybrid, unveiled in June 2022. At launch, the leather and silicone strap variant was priced at Rs. 17,633, whereas the stainless-steel strap variant had a price tag of Rs. 19,173.

Fossil Gen 6 Hybrid features a circular dial that is available in 40.5mm and 45mm dial sizes, along with three side-mounted buttons for navigation. The smartwatch is equipped with the Fossil Q Intel Atom processor. It sports built-in Amazon Alexa support, accessible via a dedicated microphone.

The smartwatch offers health features such as heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen (SpO2) tracking, a step counter, as well as various workout modes. It supports Bluetooth v5.0 for connectivity. The company claims the Fossil Gen 6 Hybrid offers up to 2 weeks of battery life, depending on usage.