Original article: Fossil’s core smartwatch series hasn’t changed much over the years. The Fossil Gen 6 launched with the traditional rounded face and large pushers. Still, considerable advancements were made beneath the skin with the addition of a blood oxygen sensor and new Snapdragon silicon. While these improvements were welcome, the Gen 6 still fell short of its contemporaries in several arenas. But will the Fossil Gen 7 put up more of a fight? Here’s everything we know about Fossil’s seventh-generation smartwatch and a list of improvements we’d like to see.
Will there be a Fossil Gen 7?
Thanks to its sequential generation-based system, Fossil’s smartwatch naming scheme hasn’t sprung a major surprise in ages. Considering the Fossil Gen 6 was the last launch, we can safely assume the next iteration will bear the Gen 7 label.
See also: The best Fossil smartwatches you can buy
When will the Fossil Gen 7 release date be?
As for the release date, The Fossil Gen 5 models debuted in August 2019, about a year after the Gen 4 lineup. The Gen 6 made its debut in September 2021. The evidence, therefore, points to a Q3 2022 launch for the Gen 7.
That said, Fossil’s still having a tough time confirming a Wear OS 3 rollout date for the Gen 6, so we won’t be too surprised if the Gen 7 launches later than usual.
What features will the Fossil Gen 7 have?
Design
Fossil Group relies solely on circular bodies for its smartwatch lineup, so don’t expect this to change for the Gen 7. Evidence of this surfaced thanks to FCC listings of models DW14 and DW15, spotted by Gadgets & Wearables in April 2022. The e-label details suggest that both models may use round displays once again. Surprising? Not really.
As a counterpoint, 9to5Google dug a little deeper and spotted Bluetooth listings of the new models in early June. These new details suggested that the models in question may not be Gen 7 devices after all, but new hybrid watches running low power chips with no Wear OS in sight. Ultimately, we’ll know for sure once internal and external images of the devices break cover in July, so stay tuned for those official shots directly from the FCC.
Specs
We know little about the Fossil Gen 7’s internals at this point, but the FCC listings did share a few key details. The Gen 7 may keep its wireless charging smarts, as the Gen 6 charger will seemingly land with the new watch. Hopefully, this also means the device will retain its quick charging credentials, too.
We expect other Gen 6 features to return, including the SpO2 sensor, onboard GPS, built-in speaker, heart rate sensor, and NFC for Google Pay support.
Finally, if it’s indeed available, we could see the debut of Qualcomm’s rumored Snapdragon Wear 5100 SoC. There’s little evidence that the chipset will make its bow in the Fossil Gen 7, but the omens are good. Both the Gen 5 and Gen 6 featured new silicon from Qualcomm. Should the American chipmaker announce the Wear 5100 before the Gen 7’s release, the watch could be a shoo-in for the chipset. We haven’t heard a squeak from Qualcomm regarding the chip’s development or release, so we’ll have to wait for confirmation.
Software
Presumably, the Fossil Gen 7 will launch with Wear OS. If it debuts later this year, it’s safe to say it’ll be Wear OS 3. Thanks to the Montblanc Summit 3, we now have a good idea of what Wear OS 3 on a non-Samsung watch looks like.
Some key differences over the Galaxy Watch 4 include swiping up to access notifications and swiping left or right to access tiles. Like the Google Pixel Watch, the Fossil Gen 7 should borrow a few of these fundamental swiping gestures but do expect a few differences when it comes to installed apps.
We’ll have a much better idea of how Wear OS 3 will look and feel on Fossil devices once the Pixel Watch makes its debut, or until Google announces the Wear OS 3 patch for older watches — whichever comes first.
What will the Fossil Gen 7 price be?
Let’s talk price. It’s still early days in the Fossil Gen 7 leak cycle, but we have a vague idea of where Fossil Group may position its new flagship watch. The Gen 5 and Gen 6 launched at $295 and $299, respectively. Provided Fossil Group doesn’t load the Gen 7 with pricier tech, we expect a similar price around the $300 mark to be the requirement.
Fossil Gen 7: What we want to see
A clear software update roadmap
It might seem obvious that the Fossil Gen 7 will launch with Wear OS 3, but Google still hasn’t clarified when exactly Wear OS 3 will make it to previous-generation models, let alone future devices. Overall, Google’s silence regarding Wear OS 3’s debut beyond the Galaxy Watch 4 makes us wonder when new smartwatches will debut with the latest software version. We want some more clarification from the Wear OS 3 developer’s release program and the company’s support plans. Considering that the Fossil Group’s devices run pure Wear OS, the availability and development of the OS will be among the more important considerations for potential buyers.
See also: Everything you need to know about Wear OS
from Android Authority https://ift.tt/tPdsyOn
via IFTTT
Posts
.jpg)
0Awesome Comments!