Fossil Is Getting Out of the Smartwatch Business

If you were waiting for the Gen 7, we have some bad news

Fossil smartwatch
Fossil is winding down its smartwatch initiative.
Fossil

What does the future of internet-connected wearables look like? Data that emerged late last year suggested a resurgence for the category, and news of a forthcoming Samsung ring has some observers of the space very excited. But whatever the wearables space looks like in the coming years, there’s one thing to be said with some certainty: Fossil won’t be a part of it.

As Engadget’s Cheyenne MacDonald reported this weekend, the watch and accessories company is making a gradual exit from the online space — continuing to update its existing devices for a few more years, but not working on anything to follow up its Gen 6 watches.

Writing at The Verge, Victoria Song revealed more details about Fossil’s shift in strategy. That included comments from Fossil spokesperson Amanda Castelli, who told The Verge, “As the smartwatch landscape has evolved significantly over the past few years, we have made the strategic decision to exit the smartwatch business.”

Song notes that Fossil has made significant use of Google’s WearOS technology, which begs the question of what — if anything — could take its place.

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Fossil’s spokesperson told The Verge that the company “is redirecting resources to support our core strength and the core segments of our business that continue to provide strong growth opportunities for us.” If you’ve been holding off on buying a new smartwatch in the hopes that a Gen 7 might be around the corner, it might be time to explore some other options.

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