Existing Fossil watches probably won’t get an upgrade to new Wear OS

Existing Fossil smartwatches are unlikely to get an upgrade to the new Wear OS from Google and Samsung. That says CNET based on an interview with two Fossil executives. However, a photo caption in the CNET piece also seems to claim the opposite.

In the text itself, CNET seems very clear about it: “Existing Google Wear watches from Fossil will not be upgradeable to the new Wear OS platform”. Elsewhere in the piece, it also underlines that “all the feature sets and software benefits of Google and Samsung’s new unified platform should also be reflected in the sixth generation of Fossil watches.” There, the existing fifth generation is implicitly excluded.

Where CNET sows some confusion is with a photo caption. Capturing a picture of a Fossil The Carlyle HR, a fifth-generation Fossil smartwatch, CNET writes, “Fossil’s fifth-generation watches, released more than a year ago, will be upgraded in the fall.” According to Google’s announcement, the updated Wear OS will also be released in the fall. So this again seems to say the opposite of what the text says. However, it could also be that CNET is referring to Fossil’s offerings getting an upgrade and not Gen 5 getting a software upgrade.

Fossil goes on to say about its sixth-generation smartwatches that they want to release a single flagship “premium” model, which will also have a price to match. This should ‘get major hardware upgrades’, with which Fossil may be referring to the use of Snapdragon Wear 4100 or 4100+. So far, only a single smartwatch has appeared with one of those new socs. Cheaper models that still run on the new Wear OS are released via Fossil’s subsidiary brands, such as Diesel and Skagen. Fossil plans to release this premium model in the fall.

Fossil Gen 5 The Carlyle HR