Fossil Gen 6 Smartwatch Review: Discover the Pros and Cons

The Fossil Gen 6 is the first device to run on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear 4100 Plus platform, which offers faster app load time and more efficient battery consumption, thereby sacrificing too much battery life. The smartwatch also features a new heartbeat sensor with better accuracy and SpO2 sensors for measuring blood oxygen levels. 

The Fossil Gen 6 is a bet on design as the smartwatch launched with the old software, Wear OS 2 and would not have access to update to Wear OS 3 (the latest update to Google’s smartwatch platform) until the latter half of 2022. 

Performance is not an issue as all models are backed up by 1GB of RAM, even though it is an older software. 

Fossil smartwatches look like traditional wristwatches, and the Gen 6 did not deviate from the traditional look. 

Design

The Fossil Gen 6 has a single sleek design. It comes in two screen sizes – 44mm and 42mm. It has a physical crown with two buttons on the right side (which can be rotated to scroll around on the watch) and a nubbled bezel. 

The smartwatch is also light but has a robust body made of polycarbonate, and you get to change the straps made of silicone. 

Display

The Fossil Gen 6 has a circle surface with an AMOLED display which gives a comfortable viewing experience. The watch possesses a 1.28-inch circular AMOLED screen with a resolution of 416 by 416 pixels.

The display is bright and colourful. You would have no trouble reading texts under the sun. The two buttons on the right, when pushed, wakes up the screen or take you to the app list.

Size

The Fossil Gen 6 smartwatch is available in 42mm and 44mm sizes. 

Health Features 

The Fossil Gen 6 smartwatch Offers users health features such as the SpO2 sensors that allow you to measure your blood oxygen levels and the heartbeat sensor with better accuracy. You also get to track your sleep and activities.  

Performance 

The smartwatch contains the Snapdragon Wear 4100 chipset and is backed up with 1GB RAM and 8GB of storage for apps and data. The Fossil Gen 6 does not lag; users can switch from app to app and from screen to screen swiftly. You also would not experience any input delay. But you get to run on the Wear OS 2 till the upgrade to Wear OS 3 sometime in 2022, which would bring better performance of applications.

The processor has a 30 per cent gain in performance than what was obtainable in the Fossil Gen 5. 

Battery life

The biggest weakness of the Fossil Gen 6 is its battery life. It lasts for a day (a few hours over that in the power-saving extended mode), and you would need to recharge it before the end of the day, depending on the degree of usage. But the Fossil Gen 6 smartwatch makes up for its weak battery life with the fast charge feature. It takes about 30 minutes for it to reach 80%.

Integration

The Fossil Gen 6 has an application for Amazon Alexa integration but it is currently not accessible, but the company has confirmed that users would be able to use Alexa in the first half of 2022. 

Connectivity 

You are provided with varieties of connectivity options on the Fossil Gen 6. The Fossil Gen 6 possesses the Bluetooth v5 LE, Wi-Fi, GPS, NFC SE and comes with support for Google Assistant. The smartwatch is charged using a 4 pin USB with a magnetic puck that supports fast charging. 

You can also connect the smartwatch with Android and iOS devices and receive and make calls while connected. 

Music Feature

The Fossil Gen 6 supports YouTube Music and Spotify. 

Spotify’s Wear OS upgrade that allows users to download songs and podcasts on their smartwatches is available on the Fossil Gen 6. You can find saved playlists and albums and also browse through recommended music and podcasts. 

You can download music and podcasts directly to the Fossil Gen 6’s 8GB internal storage, but you need to subscribe to Spotify Premium to do so. 

Pros

• Sleek design
• Fast charge feature
• It is easy to navigate
• Full-colour AOD screen
• A more accurate heart rate monitor
• Two size options
• Water resistance up to 30 metres
• It runs on Android and iOS
• Faster app load time
• Impressive GPS speeds.

Cons

• Short battery life
• Global Positioning System (GPS) inaccuracy 
• The Wear OS 3 update would not be available till the latter part of 2022.
• The Fossil has limited fitness apps.
• The Crown gets in the way when working out
• It is too easy to accidentally press buttons
• It is not advisable to use it for swimming workouts.

Buying guide

Before opting to buy the Fossil Gen 6 smartwatch, you need to consider the battery life. The battery life is not as good when compared to other alternative smartwatches. But I can assure you that you are getting a stylish smartwatch. 

So if you would go on to get the Fossil Gen 6, you would have to maximise the battery life. Here are a few tips on that:

• You should turn off the screen when not in use. 
• You should try a different watch face as those with animations or interactive abilities consume more battery life than the others. 
• You should also adjust the screen brightness. 
• And turn off notifications that you do not want. 

As for accessories, you can get stainless steel and leather watch straps to complement the Fossil Gen 6 and make it more stylish. To protect the screen, you should get the SPGUARD screen protector.  

If at this point, you feel the Fossil Gen 6 is not good enough, you can consider the Apple Watch Series 7 or the Galaxy Watch 4. Both offer better battery life and run on the Wear OS 3. 

Price 

The 44mm size goes for $319, while the 42mm costs $299.

Is the Fossil Gen 6 worth buying?

There is no doubt that the Fossil Gen 6 is one of the prettiest smartwatches ever. Apart from its look, the fast charge feature is unique to opt for the smartwatch. 

My take is that you should only go for the Fossil Gen 6 if you are ready to put up with compromised software experience until the Wear OS 3 update launches. And if you want a really fancy smartwatch.

Conclusion

In conclusion, if you are looking for a smartwatch with a sleek design to match your outfits, you cannot go wrong with the Fossil Gen 6 smartwatch, with its faster processor and impressive GPS speeds. If you also want a smartwatch compatible with both iOS and Android devices, the Fossil Gen 6 is a great choice.

If you want a smartwatch with a battery life that can last for days, or you want a watch with a rotating bezel or if you already use a Wear OS 2 smartwatch, then the Fossil Gen 6 is not the best option.

Frequently Asked  Questions (FAQ)

How long does the Fossil Gen 6 battery last?

On my first day of setting up the Fossil Gen 6, the battery drained over the course of six hours due to heavy usage and the installation of apps and updates. After that, I found out the smartwatch could last for 24 hours and a few hours over that in the power-saving extended mode. One thing to keep in mind is that the rate of usage determines the battery life. But the Fossil Gen 6 still falls short of the Apple Watch Series 7, which lasts almost 18 hours and the Galaxy Watch 4, which can last up to three days.  

An interesting feature is that the Fossil Gen 6 charges rapidly. It takes about 30 minutes to reach 80% battery life. So you can charge it up to wear to bed to track your sleep. This fast charge feature helps to mitigate the low battery life. 

What are the features of the Fossil Gen 6?

The Fossil Gen 6 has a circle surface with an AMOLED display which gives a comfortable viewing experience. The smartwatch comes with a physical crown, two buttons and a nubbled bezel, with a screen size of 44mm. The device is also light but has a robust body made of polycarbonate. You also get to change the straps made of silicone. 

The smartwatch runs on Android and iOS operating systems, and you can sync the watch with your Android or iOS device to receive and respond to alarm and calendar notifications. You are also able to receive calls, control your music and find your phone with the Fossil Gen 6. 

You are also able to keep track of your physical activities – distance covered, number of steps, quality of your sleep, heart rate, calories intake and calories consumed. 

The smartwatch is water-resistant, and you are able to tweak the battery settings to your preference. This is thanks to Fossil’s custom battery modes, which make their welcome return to the Gen 6 line. 

The fossil Gen 6 is offered in two sizes – 44mm and 42mm.

Can you connect the Fossil Gen 6 to an iPhone?

You can connect the Fossil Gen 6 to an iPhone. All you have to do is to set it up. 

First, you download the Wear OS by Google from the App Store. Then you follow the on-screen instructions on your iPhone. You need to tap “allow” to give your iPhone access to your smartwatch. You then go on to select your preferred language. Then you tap “pair” to connect the Fossil Gen 6 to your iPhone via Bluetooth. Once connected, the app would update your watch with notifications. 

You would then need to follow the prompt on your iPhone to copy your Google accounts to the Fossil Gen 6; allow it to access calls and texts, and sync contacts and calendars. Lastly, you would need to allow the Fossil Gen 6 to display notifications sent from your iPhone.

Is the Fossil Gen 6 water resistance?

The Fossil Gen 6 series is “water-resistant” up to the 3ATM rating, meaning it can survive up to 30 metres (100 feet) of depth. It is advisable that you only take a swim or shower with the Fossil Gen 6 and not go sea-diving with it.

What are the differences between Fossil Gen 6 and Fossil Gen 5?

First is that the Fossil Gen 5 models would be left behind with the Wear OS 2; getting it means that you get to stick with an older processor and an outdated platform. The Fossil Gen 6 smartwatches with the Snapdragon Wear 4100+ chipset would be eligible for an upgrade to Wear OS 3 in 2022. 

The body material of the Fossil Gen 5 is Stainless Steel, while that of the Fossil Gen 6 is Polycarbonate. 

The display technology for the Fossil Gen 6 is AMOLED, while the Fossil Gen 5 is TFT LCD. The Fossil Gen 6 also has the music player feature which is absent in the Fossil Gen 5, and the Fossil Gen 6 allows for a USB connectivity feature. 

You can also opt for the Fossil Gen 6 as it allows you to track your sleep quality and your heart rate but this time with better accuracy. 

Product Image Gallery – Fossil Gen 6 Smartwatch Review