Most of Fossil’s slick smartwatches are being treated to the long-awaited Android Wear 2.0 update starting today.
If you own or are interested in purchasing the Fossil Q Wander, Fossil Q Marshal or the new Fossil Q Founder 2.0, you’ll soon be greeted with the new software, which adds a bunch of features. It is Android Wear’s biggest update since it launched a few years ago and frankly, is a game-changer for the platform.
Picking one feature to put the spotlight on is simple: the standalone apps. Previous versions of Android Wear relied heavily on you keeping a phone nearby, but that isn’t the case anymore. Now, you can leave your phone at home and continue to use apps on the watch.
Not just that, the new software copies your Google account so that you can receive and send text messages when connected to Wi-Fi. In the case of the Q Founder 2.0 that has both a microphone and speaker, you’ll be able to take phone calls, too.
On par with the smartest
While Fossil’s lineup isn’t first to receive the new software, it certainly isn’t last. Funny how that works, given that the fashion company didn’t join the smartwatch fray until 2016.
Compared to the new LG Watch Sport and LG Watch Style, Fossil’s watches are mostly on par in terms of features. Though you won’t receive the super-slim chassis of the Style or the 4G LTE capability of the Sport, Android Wear 2.0 does a good job in leveling the field so that these Nexus-like devices created in collaboration with Google don’t completely outshine efforts from, say, Fossil.
That is to say, Google Assistant, the built-in Google Play Store and many other changes and improvements will be available on these Fossil watches.
Choosing a smartwatch is mostly a matter of style preference. You’ll know if they suit your style, but if you’re a fan of Fossil’s traditional timepieces, you’ll find a lot to like across the board.
Now, here’s to hoping that other manufacturers get going with the update release as well.
