What you need to know
- Fossil has released its first major update for devices running Wear OS 3.
- The December update features a number of improvements and bug fixes to address some software issues.
- Fossil says it is working to bring Google Assistant to its Wear OS watches.
It's only been a month since Fossil updates its Gen 6 smartwatches with Wear OS 3, and the company is already issuing a major update with several improvements that users can look forward to.
Fossil Group detailed the update in a Reddit post, saying that while the Wear OS 3 software was already in great shape, the company hoped to address some of the most important issues that have come up for users since upgrading.
The update includes improvements to the Wellness app and the watch's health and fitness sensors. It includes the latest Health Services update and fixes an issue with the heart rate LED not always running when it should, due to its more accurate calorie algorithm. To address the latter, the company "reverted to the previous calorie algo that uses steps/profile and use the HR-based algo with continuous HR/CHRM and workouts."
The company is also improving its smart battery modes. One problem the update addresses is location turning on when the watch is in Extended mode, which shouldn't be the case. This can affect battery life, so users should hopefully notice an improvement there.
Extended mode is also being improved with new settings for brightness and vibration, which are automatically set to low. In Daily mode, these are set to medium, although you can always customize this if you prefer a brighter display and more aggressive vibrations.
The company is also addressing some background sync issues, which I encountered early on with the Fossil Gen 6 Wellness Edition. There are tons of additional fixes for Bluetooth, watch faces, buttons, and more than you can find on the Reddit post. The update also brings the latest December patch to Fossil's smartwatches running Wear OS 3.
You can update the watch by navigating to Settings > System > System updates. Fossil says it should update automatically, and the patch was already live on our unit when we checked.
Fossil ends by addressing other feedback with Wear OS 3 on its watches, like the lack of Google Assistant on the watch, which it has addressed before. While it's still on the way, the company cannot provide a timeframe for its availability. However, the company "continues to aid the Google Assistant team in testing their app on our watches as they work towards a version suitable for our users."
Along with Google Assistant, Fossil is also teasing "more cool features and updates planned for 2023," which may include some UI/UX changes, battery life improvements, and more.
Given Wear OS 3 is still fresh on Fossil smartwatches, this patch is already a good sign, and hopefully we can expect frequent updates to its devices.
The Gen 6 Wellness Edition is the first Wear OS 3 watch from Fossil, sporting a sleek design and a focus on health and fitness. It comes in a few different colorways to match different styles and supports standard watch bands.
