Amazon Alexa is coming to your Fossil Gen 6 smartwatch before midyear

By Andy Boxall Published January 6, 2022

Fossil Gen 6 smartwatch owners will be able to call up Amazon’s Alexa virtual assistant in the future, as the company has confirmed support will arrive on its latest models before the middle of the year. The news comes from CES 2022, where the company revealed two new smartwatches that use the Gen 6 platform, the Razer X Fossil Gen 6 limited edition, and the Skagen Falster Gen 6.

Fossil told Digital Trends in an email:

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“Alexa will be launching in the first half of this year on our Gen 6 devices, with the opportunity to roll out on future devices. We’ll have more information closer to launch.”

Not much to go on so far, but it seems Alexa will arrive as an app on the Gen 6 watches. Anyone with a Gen 6 will find Amazon Alexa listed in the app section right now, but when selected, it simply says, “coming soon.” Reports of the Alexa app’s existence have been around since the Gen 6 launched, but Fossil hasn’t officially talked about its plans until now.

Currently, you can use Google Assistant on all Google Wear OS smartwatches, including the Fossil Gen 6 and earlier versions, but with Alexa support too, Fossil will add considerable convenience for those who use Amazon’s connected products over Google’s. However, it’s not the first time Alexa has been found on a smartwatch.

Fitbit integrated Alexa in the Versa 3, Versa 2, and Sense smartwatches, where you can ask for weather information, set alarms and reminders, control smart home products, and control various aspects of the watch itself. Amazfit also uses Alexa as the virtual assistant on its GTR 3 Pro smartwatch, among others. Amazon itself doesn’t make a smartwatch, but Alexa can be called into action on a wide variety of other connected products.

Alexa isn’t the only thing for Gen 6 owners to look forward to, as all models will receive an update to Wear OS 3 in 2022, the latest software currently only available on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic. However, like the Alexa update, you’ll need patience as there isn’t an exact release date for Wear OS 3 either. There’s the potential for both to arrive at the same time, though.

Senior Mobile Writer

Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…

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Upcoming Fossil Gen 6 swartwatch won’t run Wear OS 3 until 2022

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Fossil this week unveiled its next-generation smartwatch lineup, called the Fossil Gen 6. While fans were excited for the launch, the company revealed that the much-anticipated Fossil Gen 6 will be launched with Wear OS 2 rather than the new Wear OS 3 seen on the latest Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic and Watch 4. This is a surprising and disappointing revelation about the new hardware.
Users eager for the OS 3 update will have to wait till 2022, when it will be available after a full factory rese is performed, which is something we haven't typically seen required for an OS update. The Gen 6 will also be the first device to have the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100 Plus Platform, unlike the new Galaxy Watches, which use the Exynos W920 processor. The company says the new chipset will offer a 30% performance boost compared to Gen 5 devices and more efficient power consumption.

A notable addition is the SpO2 sensor, which monitors blood oxygen levels with an “upgraded heart rate sensor to allow continuous tracking and improved signal accuracy.” The Gen 6, like its predecessor (the Fossil Gen 5), offers a microphone and speaker functionality for Android and iOS, so you can take calls and use Google Assistant on the go. The Gen 6 also lets you access the Google Play Store to download Google-based apps like Google Pay. You can also download third-party apps like Spotify, which recently started supporting offline playback for Wear smartwatches. This could be a key feature for runners and music lovers who enjoy working with custom playlists.
Along with the Gen 6’s upgraded features, users can enjoy 8GB of storage and 1GB of RAM with super-optimized battery life (up to 24 hours) for an improved experience that will likely be boosted by the aforementioned Snapdragon Wear 4100+ improvements. It is said to charge twice as fast, “reaching 80% in only a little more than 30 minutes of charging.” The company says this feature is helpful for tracking your sleep, as users can have a fully charged device ready within minutes of waking up after a full night’s use.
The Fossil Gen 6 features a 1.28-inch, AMOLED touchscreen display with 3 ATM water-resistance, making it safe to use when swimming. The Gen 6 comes in two sizes: A 44mm case offering a choice of four colors and a 42mm case offering three colors for added variety and style options. Users also have the option to customize dials and buttons for a more personalized look.
The Gen 6 is priced starting at $299 and $319, which seems to be consistent with Gen 5 and other Wear smartwatch prices. You can pre-order the Gen 6 on Fossil’s official website, and the company says your order will ship around the end of September if you order now.