Wear OS 3 is finally coming to these older smartwatches this month

By Peter Hunt Szpytek Published October 13, 2022

Wear OS 3 has been supported by Samsung smartwatches for over a year at this point, but now it’s finally coming to Fossil devices in just a few days. While the launch of the Google Pixel Watch today has put Wear OS 3 back in the spotlight, Fossil smartwatches are the first to be upgraded from the previous Wear OS 2 version.

While it’s certainly exciting that Wear OS 3 is coming to more devices, it’s important to note that it won’t be headed to all of Fossil’s lineup. As reported by Android Central, the upcoming Fossil Gen 6 Wellness Edition will be launching with Wear OS 3; the Fossil Gen 6, the Michael Kors Gen 6, and the Skagen Falster Gen 6 will all be receiving the OS update together when the Wellness Edition launches. Luckily, fans won’t have to wait long as the update rolls out on October 17.

Fossil Skagen Falster Gen 6 on the wrist. — Fossil

Google has been pretty selective about which devices even support Wear OS 3, with the current list before the Fossil update only hosting four entries — one of which costs over $1,200. It’s exciting, then, for Fossil to be doubling the number of supported smartwatches. Wear OS 3 is a decent step up from previous iterations, and up until now, it’s been gated off from most smartwatches. Hopefully, this opens the floodgates for more adoption.

Recommended Videos

Although Fossil Gen 6 watches will be running Wear OS 3, there’s a major difference between its version and the ones found in previous iterations: iOS connection support. Previously, if you wanted to use a Wear OS 3 watch, you’d need to have an Android phone. With these Fossil watches being updated to Wear OS 3, iPhone users can get in on everything the OS brings to the table. In addition to iOS support, the Fossil Gen 6 watches allow users to set custom battery settings and use the Fossil Wellness app instead of the Google Fit app.

Like the Montblanc Summit 3 (the only non-Samsung, non-Google smartwatch to support Wear OS 3,) the Fossil Gen 6 smartwatches don’t support Google Assistant. Should more smartwatches upgrade to the OS down the line, this may be a trend as Assistant isn’t compatible with smartwatches using a Qualcomm chipset.

Topics

Peter Hunt Szpytek

Former Digital Trends Contributor

A podcast host and journalist, Peter covers mobile news with Digital Trends and gaming news, reviews, and guides for sites…

Mobile

The Google Pixel Watch 3’s biggest upgrade is all but confirmed

Pixel Watch 3 in two sizes

In a week from now, Google will formally introduce its next slate of Pixel hardware. Like clockwork, almost everything has been spoiled, thanks to an unstoppable stream of leaks. The latest one all but confirms a supersized version of the Pixel Watch 3 -- including one that could solve screen and battery anxiety in one go.

The folks over at Android Headlines (in collaboration with reliable leaker OnLeaks) have shared what looks like an official video advert for the upcoming Google smartwatch. The promo material suggests the wearable comes in two size variants -- 41mm and 45mm -- rocking a familiar round design with smooth curves. In March, 9to5Google also mentioned a new 45mm variant, citing an insider source.

Mobile

This great Wear OS smartwatch is suddenly a lot more attractive

A promotional image of the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro in Slate Grey.

Mobvoi has made the recently released TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro more interesting by adding a second color to its repertoire. The smartwatch now comes in a Slate finish, which, although still subtle, shows off the design far more than it does in the original (and a bit boring) Obsidian Black finish.

Based on the promotional images shared by Mobvoi, the good news is this isn’t just a different color strap, as the case itself has been given a matching new finish. It appears to have a similar gray/green color as the strap but with a matte polish to accentuate the lines. The bezel and crown forgo the color change and appear to have been polished to a shine. It helps show off the subtle redesign of the TicWatch 5 Pro Enduro’s looks far more so than the all-black look of the release version. The strap has the same ribbed inner texture and external design as before.

Mobile

Google is doing something incredible with the Pixel Watch 3

Leaked render of Google Pixel Watch 3 XL.

It seems going XL is in vogue at Google’s design labs. We recently came across leaks claiming to depict the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, Google's all-out big-screen flagship that will be its answer to the Pro Max and Ultra phones out there. A similar treatment is in line for the upcoming Pixel Watch 3 smartwatch, as well.

Android Headlines has shared leaked product renders of what it calls the "Pixel Watch 3 XL." Fittingly for its name, this one will serve a larger 1.45-inch display, up from the 1.2-inch OLED screen on the regular version. It’s also reportedly going to be roughly 12% thicker compared to the Pixel Watch 2. The added chassis depth is said to accommodate a larger battery, but we don't know the exact capacity yet.