SAN FRANCISCO: Fossil Group has announced to stop making smartwatches and the Gen 6 series will be the last of its wearable devices.
Fossil has been one of the most prolific makers of Wear OS smartwatches over the years, reports 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,” a Fossil spokesperson was quoted as saying in the report.
Fossil Group is redirecting resources “to support our core strength and the core segments of our business that continue to provide strong growth opportunities for us: designing and distributing exciting traditional watches, jewellery, and leather goods under our own as well as licensed brand names.”
Gen 6, which first launched in 2021, will be the last Fossil smartwatch.
The company will continue to keep existing Wear OS watches updated “for the next few years.”
Fossil was expected to announce a new Gen 7 featuring the Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Plus platform last year but the plan was shelved.
Fossil’s Gen 6 smartwatches came in a few different styles, a 44mm round casing with a 1.28-inch round OLED screen.
In 2022, the company introduced ‘STAPLE x Fossil’, its new watch collaboration designed in partnership with iconic streetwear brand STAPLE, helmed by creative icon and streetwear pioneer Jeff Staple.