Introducing: Fossil Gen 6 Touchscreen Smartwatch

To date, I’ve not found myself all that enthused about smart watches. In the world of WearOS-powered devices, they’ve largely been the same. Sure, the exterior is different, but the experience is largely the same, as the hardware inside is the same. At least, until today, with the release of the Fossil Gen 6 Touchscreen Smartwatch.

Why is that? That’s because the Fossil Gen 6 Touchscreen Smartwatch is the first WearOS device with the Qualcomm® Snapdragon WearTM4100+. In other words, they’ve slammed a new engine in under the hood, and it brings a number of goodies with it. With the faster processor, you should have a snappier response, which is great. It’s also bumped the charging time, bringing the watch to 80% charged in just 30 minutes. It also sets the watch up to be able to handle Wear OS 3 when it’s released next year.

Along with the internals, the Fossil Gen 6 Touchscreen Smartwatch brings some other functionality along that prior models (at least from Fossil) have not had. First up? A swimproof speaker and microphone, which means you can live out your Dick Tracy fantasy, even while in the pool. Second – and perhaps more importantly – are the upgraded health sensors. The HR sensor is there (which we expect), but they’ve also added a SpO2 sensor in. This allows you to get a readout of the oxygen in your blood, which is handy for exercise (as well as if you’ve got concerns in the pandemic). This sounds minor, but I’ve been using that sensor on the Amazfit watch that I work out with, and it’s a handy piece of data.

Add in the onboard GPS and ability to store podcasts offline on the Fossil Gen 6 Touchscreen Smartwatch, and you’ve got something that’s well-prepared to be your workout pal, and not just a during-the-day second screen companion. And, as we saw with the earlier Fossil smartwatch we reviewed, this one will work with both Android and iOS devices. It’s currently up for pre-order as of today, with pricing ranging from $299 – $319, depending on the particular version you select. Check it out, and get your pre-order in, over at fossil.com

Tech Specs from Fossil

Stainless steel case, topring and pushers
44mm and 42mm case size options

Stunning 1.28’’ touchscreen digital display
Swimproof (up to 3 ATM)
Customizable dials and button functionality

Interchangeable straps and bracelets
Enjoy All Your Spotify Music and Podcasts Offline on smartwatches running Wear OS for all Spotify Premium users
Increased performance and lower power with Qualcomm® Snapdragon WearTM4100+

Connectivity: Bluetooth® 5.0 LE, WiFi, GPS, NFC SE
Sensors: Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass, Altimeter, PPG Heart Rate, SpO2, Off-body IR, Ambient Light
Wear OS by Google