FOSSIL GROUP LAUNCHES LATEST EVOLUTION OF HYBRID SMARTWATCHES

Fossil Group has unveiled proprietary next-gen touchscreen smartwatch technology for its latest evolution in hybrid smartwatches.

The new watches, which are now available from the Fossil brand with three more brands within the Group launching models later this fall/holiday season, are loaded with features like extended battery life, voice calling, microphone and swim-proof speaker, and increased storage space. The smartwatch will be offered in six colorways including black, smoke, and rose gold, with a 44 mm case size, and endless strap options. It will retail for $295.

In addition to new touchscreen smartwatch innovations, Fossil Group will introduce a new category of hybrid smartwatches this fall/holiday seasons. Ultimately filling an identified gap in the wearables market, this new category of hybrid smartwatches has functionality similar to a touchscreen smartwatch with the look and feel of a classic watch, while still offering long battery life.

“We’ve made multi-day battery life for touchscreen smartwatches possible with one touch – a disruptor for smartwatches on the Wear OS by Google platform,” said Greg McKelvey, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at Fossil Group. “And, we’re leading the industry on Wear OS by Google by enabling tethered phone calls for iPhone users. Both advancements are the result of our unrelenting focus on advancing wearable technology. We’ll continue to integrate the latest tech features our customers need with the styles they love.”

“We’re closely aligned with our partners at Google to ensure we’re constantly iterating within the Wear OS by Google platform to deliver the most desired smartwatch features and benefits,” added McKelvey. “We listened to our customers and knew that longer battery life and tethered iPhone calls were essential in our next-gen products.”

With over $400 million in wearable device sales in 2018, Fossil Group will launch more than 100 new smartwatch styles across 10 brands this fall/holiday retail season. Brands and specific styles will be revealed throughout the season.