Fashion brand Fossil has announced that time’s up for its smartwatch business. In a statement to The Verge, the group said that it is exiting the category. Fossil entered the segment some years back and it was one of the early adopters of Google’s Wear OS. Notably, the company struck around even when other OEMs were uninterested in the smartwatch operating system. 

Fossil quits smartwatch business

Fossil Watches won't support Wear OS in Future, says reports

Fossil is entirely quitting the smartwatch business. For those unaware, alongside its main brand, the group also has smartwatches released under its sub-brands including Skagen, Diesel, and more. This means that the Fossil Gen 6 which debuted way back in 2021 is the brand’s last smartwatch. 

Speaking to The Verge, Fossil spokesperson Amanda Castelli said “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” She added that the smartwatch landscape has evolved significantly over the past few years and the decision to exit the business is strategic one. This is understandable considering Fossil has been around during the worst phases of Wear OS. However, things changed for good when Google and Samsung came together to develop Wear OS 3 based on Android 11. 

Castelli said that Fossil will continue to keep Wear OS watches updated for the next few years. Fossil smartwatches have often been hybrid with a mix of minimalist and fashion-centric design while also packing smart and fitness features. The company was expected to launch the Gen 7 last year but now we know why that did not happen. Users on Reddit had reported that Fossil was pulling out of the smartwatch business. 

Regardless, Fossil would be missed in the smartwatch segment. Now, Withings remains the only brand in the market that offers hybrid smartwatches. 

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