No Google Assistant, Google Wallet and Google Fit
Now, before you get your hopes too high, keep in mind that Fossil’s Wear OS 3 update for Gen 6 smartwatches is missing some major features that might be added later on as separate updates. The most important one is Google Assistant, which is not yet available on any wearable devices powered by Qualcomm 4100 chipsets.
Instead, Fossil smartwatches are using Alexa, which is available for both iOS and Android users. The feature works over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, so you won’t have to install the Alexa app on the phone. Fossil states that it’s “actively working on Google Assistant on a number of devices, but there is no timeline from Google on this yet.”
Last but not least, Google Fit is available as a standalone app, but it hasn’t been updated to support the latest Wear Health Services, which is why Fossil will not include this in the update at the moment.
On the positive side, Wear OS 3 brings upgraded health and wellness tracking thanks to a new Wear Health Services system that collects and provides data to apps, while saving battery life. Moreover, a new and improved user interface, along with overall performance and stability enhancements have been included in the update too.
New UI and improved third-party apps
The new UI features many elements from Google’s Material You design, as well as new features. There’s also a new phone companion app, which promises “easy and intuitive customization for watch faces, tiles and settings.”
Despite all the good things Fossil provides to its customers, many continue to use third-party apps, and that’s great because the watch maker announced that a number of new and refreshed third-party apps are now available via Google Play Store. Apps like Amazon Alexa, Cardiogram, Facer, Outdoor Active, Facer and many more are fully supported by Fossil’s Wear OS 3 update.
If you’re wondering which Fossil smartwatches are going to get the Wear OS 3 update, the answer is quite short: all Gen 6 models. Even if you buy a Fossil Gen 6 smartwatch running Wear OS 2 right now, you will still be able to update it to the newer version of the OS.
As far as availability goes, perusing through many posts on reddit reveals that users in just two countries have been able to update their Gen 6 smartwatches to Wear OS 3: India and Singapore. However, this was to be expected because major OS update are typically rolled out in waves, so it will probably take a few more days for everyone to receive Wear OS 3.
