The Fossil Gen 6 touchscreen smartwatch lineup has been officially announced Following Fossil's own teaser and recent leaked renderings, the Fossil Gen 5 finally has a predecessor that is poised to compete with the top contenders in wearables

Fossil's new smartwatch comes midway between the announcement of the Apple Watch 7 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Like Samsung's latest device and past Fossil smartwatches, Fossil's Gen 6 will run the Google Wear OS However, the upgraded unified software will not be available on the Gen 6 until some time next year

On the bright side, the next generation of smartwatches will be well designed and priced appropriately; the Fossil Gen 6 looks like it was made by a fashion brand, but is an affordable luxury Prices start at just $299

The Fossil Gen 6 is powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100+ chipset that promises SpO2 monitoring, on-wrist calling support for both iOS and Android users, and Wear OS 3 compatibility

While it may be worth waiting to purchase these watches until the latest software is pre-installed, here's what you need to know now about the Fossil Gen 6, from price and release date to the latest features compared to the Fossil Gen 5 The new Fossil Gen 6 will also include premium material options such as a stainless steel case and leather straps Currently, four different models are available

The Fossil Gen 5 started at the same price, but then the Fossil Gen 5 LTE was announced, a version that offers phone-free connectivity and costs $349 before additional monthly charges to Verizon There is no Gen 6 LTE option at this time, and a smartphone must be nearby for calling and messaging capabilities

Fossil's Gen 6 series is available for pre-order as of today, August 30, 2021 According to the official product page, the smartwatch will ship "soon" on September 27, 2021

The Fossil Gen 6 is a smartwatch made by a true watchmaker and pays more homage to traditional watches than most wearable devices we have become accustomed to seeing

The touchscreen color display does not hide the high-tech side of this wrist candy, but the casing does not follow the design language of a smartphone like the Apple Watch or Galaxy Watch

The Fossil Gen 6 is available in 42mm and 44mm case sizes, depending on the material selected at checkout Note that all versions have a 128" full-round AMOLED display, so the size difference comes from the exterior

At launch, Fossil will offer a rose gold case with a purple silicone strap, a smoky stainless steel case with a classic link strap, a black case with a brown leather strap, a black case with a camouflage green The Gen 6 is available in four different straps All straps are interchangeable, allowing for a variety of design combinations

The Fossil Gen 6 should be a big improvement over the Fossil Gen 5 thanks to support for the new Google Wear OS However, the experience will be different for a device that was not created as a smartphone accessory

We are a bit disappointed that the Fossil Gen 6 will not get new software until next year; Wear OS support will not be available until 2022

Until then, we are focusing on hardware improvements First, the smartwatch has added SpO2 measurement capability This was a groundbreaking feature of the Apple Watch 6, but one that is standard on most major smartwatches

Speaking of Apple, Fossil's latest model allows iOS users (as well as Android users) to take calls from their wrists through the built-in speaker, although the lack of an LTE option means the smartwatch remains connected to the smartphone

Still, you get connectivity features like NFC support and onboard GPS While the Fossil watch wasn't the first choice for athletes, it tracks activity goals, is water resistant up to 3ATM, and gets updated continuous heart rate readings Google Fit and Nike Run Club are also preinstalledWear OS Since it is a smartwatch, there are a number of Google programs available, including Google Assistant

In terms of battery life, Fossil claims that the Gen 6 reaches 80% of its battery capacity after just 30 minutes of charging There are also a number of smart battery modes that can be used depending on how long you want your smartwatch to last

It is understandable why Fossil would launch the Gen 6 before it is ready to run Wear OS 3

Still, it will be complicated to judge this new lineup, which does not yet have the latest software Battery life claims also need to be tested

Fossil's past smartwatches have been fine, if not great However, the Gen 6 with Wear OS 3 has one major feature: compatibility while the Galaxy Watch 4 is best for Samsung users, Fossil has positioned the Gen 6 as a fashionable and competitive choice for all iOS and Android users