While writing on tech for 9 years, I discovered one factor that advertising and manufacturing a product are two various things. Finding a steadiness between the 2 may be sophisticated however generally how you progress your message and construct a story can assist preserve a product from being utterly uncared for within the market. That’s precisely the case with the Fossil Gen 6, a WearOS smartwatch that goals to suit between the OnePlus Watch and the Apple Watch. The emphasis just isn’t on exclusivity or health as a promoting level, however quite on how the smartwatch is packaged. I spent per week with the Fossil Gen 6, and here is my tackle WearOS-powered smartwatches.
Fossil Gen 6 value in India: Rs 23,995
Fossil Gen 6 assessment: Design and aesthetics
Fossil takes a particular design method with its watches, and the identical sensibility goes to the Gen 6. A spherical display screen, metallic exterior, and bodily controls make the Gen 6 a very good wanting smartwatch. The mannequin I examined had a gunmetal stainless-steel case with a brown leather-based band. For a smartwatch that prices half the value of the Apple Watch Series 7, attaining this stage of high quality and class is commendable. The watch is obtainable in 42mm and 44mm sizes, with solely 44mm in black.
Gen 6 is snug to put on all day. (Image credit score: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
The watch is rated for 3ATM, so you possibly can swim with it. However, the Gen 6 just isn’t formally waterproof. The Galaxy Watch 4, as compared, is rated at 5 ATM with an IP68 dustproof/waterproof score in addition to MIL-STD-810G compliance.
Gen 6 is snug to put on all day. The 44mm model, which I obtained for assessment, makes use of 22mm straps. The high quality of the leather-based strap is premium. Additional straps can be found from Fossil.
Fossil Gen 6 assessment: Performance and controls
The watch makes use of a 1.28-inch round AMOLED display screen with a decision of 416 x 416 pixels. The always-on show is vibrant and vibrant. I did not have any hassle studying WhatsApp messages below the solar. Flanking the Digital Crown are two buttons on the precise aspect. When pushed, it wakes up the display screen or takes you to the app listing.
Flanking the Digital Crown are two buttons on the precise aspect. (Image credit score: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
The button above the crown exhibits your health stats reminiscent of steps taken, energy burned, current coronary heart charge and blood oxygen stage, whereas the button under accesses your Google Pay card for NFC funds. The two buttons will also be used to open any WearOS app. My solely subject with the watch’s design is that Google Assistant typically by chance prompts abruptly once I flip my wrist; it is annoying.
Fossil Gen 6 assessment: Processor and battery
Inside, the Gen 6 is powered by a Snapdragon 4100+ processor paired with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage. The specs are adequate for working apps and storing music on the watch. Thanks to the Snapdragon 4100+ processor, apps by no means crashed, and the person interface was at all times quick and fluid.
For connectivity, this watch helps Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi, NFC and GPS. The watch has a number of sensors together with accelerometer, altimeter, ambient gentle meter, compass, gyroscope, IR presence sensor, PPG coronary heart charge sensor, and blood oxygen sensor. You will even get a microphone and speaker to make use of Google Assistant. It is at all times simpler to obtain and make calls from the watch. I discover this characteristic particularly helpful when I’m out for a stroll or in the midst of a crowded place.
The Gen 6 makes use of Google’s WearOS platform, which is not a foul factor, but it surely’s working the older model 2.3. (Image credit score: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
In phrases of battery life, Gen 6 can last as long as a day. This additionally applies to each the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and Apple Watch Series 7, that are two of the preferred smartwatches within the high-end phase. However, in my testing, the Gen 6’s battery depletes inside a couple of hours of the Apple Watch. Yes, you need to use a power-saving mannequin of the watch to increase battery life for a couple of extra hours, however I examined the Gen 6 in regular mode.
Battery life is affected whenever you observe your sleep at night time or activate the GPS. Continuous coronary heart charge monitoring sucks up battery life at a fair quicker charge. Thankfully, the watch expenses shortly, taking about half-hour to achieve 80 p.c battery life.
Fossil Gen 6 Review: Software and Health Features
The Gen 6 makes use of Google’s WearOS platform, which is not a foul factor, but it surely’s working on the older model 2.3 and never the most recent WearOS 3.0. Fossil says the Gen 6 will get WearOS 3 someday in 2022, however for now the clock is caught on WearOS 2.0. Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4 additionally runs on WearOS, but it surely makes use of an optimized person interface on prime of WearOS 3.0. The solely factor that favors the Gen 6 is that I can use the watch with each an Android smartphone and an iPhone. The Galaxy Watch 4, however, doesn’t assist iOS and is proscribed to the Android platform solely.
I paired the Gen 13 with my iPhone 6 through the Google Wear app, and each characteristic obtainable on Android works on the iOS model as nicely. I had no hassle receiving notifications, or controlling music playback, on the Gen 3.
The watch misses out on well being options like superior health monitoring and computerized exercise monitoring. (Image credit score: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
The very first thing I did after putting in Gen 6 was to vary the watch face. You can change the watch face by urgent the display screen and there are 10 Fossil customizable watch faces preloaded on the gadget. I discover the native watch face choice to be flat and intuitive. however don’t worry. You can at all times obtain extra watch faces from the Google Play Store or use the Facer watch faces market, which comes preloaded on the watch itself. Let me let you know prematurely that in the event you select Always On Watch Faces, they drain the battery life very quick.
WearOS is acquainted however the interface is cluttered and a bit complicated. Swiping up on the watch face shows notifications, swiping proper shows the present climate together with Google Assistant. You can even use Google Assistant by urgent and holding the Crown. Swiping left on the watch takes you to a pinned tile, which you’ll be able to prepare in any order. These embody cellphone entry, Amazon Alexa, a 20-second hand-washing timer, and extra. Swiping down on the watch face brings up a fast settings menu with buttons for Airplane Mode, Silent Mode, Do Not Disturb Mode, Theater Mode. and battery and brightness choices.
The watch covers the fundamentals like coronary heart charge, blood oxygen (SpO2), and sleep monitoring options, in addition to commonplace step counting and exercise capabilities. (Image credit score: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
Basic smartwatch performance is assured on the Gen 6. These embody receiving notifications, studying vital emails, vital alerts, textual content messages, cellphone calls, and so forth. You can examine your agenda for the day, entry contacts, use the stopwatch on the watch itself. Need to take cellphone out of pocket. These options are additionally obtainable on non-Wear OS watches from OnePlus and native Indian manufacturers.
Third-party apps are additionally supported on Gen 6. Spotify, Calm, Strava and Shazam to call a couple of. To get apps in your wrist, you possibly can both browse the Google Play Store in your Android cellphone or the online, or use the Play Store app in your smartwatch. The drawback comes with discovering these apps on the watch, and it is irritating for me. Since apps are separated by tiles, the one method to entry them is by urgent the Crown which brings up put in apps. There’s no quick-launch menu or tile for these apps.
The spherical display screen, metallic exterior and bodily controls make the Gen 6 a very good wanting smartwatch. (Image credit score: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
It’s a combined bag in terms of health and it does not come near the Apple Watch. The watch covers the fundamentals like coronary heart charge, blood oxygen (SpO2), and sleep monitoring options, in addition to commonplace step counting and exercise capabilities. But the watch misses out on well being options like superior health monitoring and computerized exercise monitoring, which implies I’ve to manually begin every exercise session with the watch once in a while. The essential subject with the Gen 6 is that I’ve to depend on Google Fit or third-party apps for superior health options, which have to be baked natively into the watch.
Also, I believe Google Fit just isn’t on par with Apple Health when it comes to options. With the Apple Watch, I get entry to my health stats in a single place and that is lacking in Gen 6. The watch has a SpO2 sensor, which lets you examine your blood oxygen stage. But checking the extent of oxygen in your blood is not simple. I’ve to faucet repeatedly after which wait to see if the faucet truly works. I attempted twice and didn’t examine my blood oxygen stage. The third time, it actually labored and the outcomes have been on par with a finger-clamp-style pulse oximeter.
Fossil Gen 6 Review: Should You Buy It?
Fossil’s emphasis on positioning the Gen 6 as a life-style smartwatch is comprehensible. It’s nowhere near the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 or Apple Watch Series 7 and I believe even Fossil is aware of the place the Gen 6 lacks. That’s to not say that the Gen 6 is a foul smartwatch. Even although it’s working an older model of WearOS, the watch is best than the OnePlus Watch in each side. If you are in search of a smartwatch that is extra on the standard aspect, the Gen 6 is one to contemplate. Before you spend Rs 23,995 out of your pocket, remember to try the Galaxy Watch Series 4. It prices Rs 26,999 for the 44mm mannequin, however provides the total Wear OS smartwatch expertise. Not solely is the interface extra intuitive, however the watch additionally helps a spread of Google providers and third-party apps. From a health and well being standpoint, the Galaxy Watch 4 is a greater deal any day.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
