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Following the launch of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear 3100, Fossil has officially released its first-ever smartwatch with the new chipset. Known as the Fossil Sport, the new device comes packed with a heart rate monitor, built-in GPS, and NFC, and runs Google’s latest version of Wear OS out of the box. At $255, it’s now available for purchase through Fossil’s site.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Fossil Sport smartwatch.
Specs
As mentioned before, the Fossil Sport smartwatch boasts Qualcomm’s highly anticipated Snapdragon Wear 3100 chipset, which comes packed with new capabilities, as well as longer battery life. The Fossil Sport packs a 350mAh battery (both the 41 mm and 43 mm case sizes), which Fossil says should last 24 hours depending on use, with an additional two days possible when in battery saver watch mode. Normally, we’d be skeptical of those estimates, especially with a smartwatch that packs tons of fitness features. But the new processor should help to preserve enough battery to last you far longer than the 12 hours of battery life we experienced with smartwatches that include the older Snapdragon 2100. Of course, we’ll have to put it through its paces to find an official answer.
There’s also an enhanced ambient mode — certain dials will now use the new platform to showcase color and a sweeping second hand that looks more stylish. Fossil says the Wear 3100 will continue to bring battery optimization as the software evolves. It also comes with 4GB of internal storage so you can store music on the watch.
Design and display
The Fossil Sport comes in two different case sizes to accommodate those with smaller and larger wrists — you can choose between a 41mm or 43mm, both of which feature a 1.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen display (390 ppi). Rather than stainless steel or aluminum, the smartwatch case is made of nylon but does have an aluminum top ring and three pushers on the side — making it Fossil’s lightest smartwatch, yet.
It also comes in six different colorways. There are 28 new silicone watch straps to choose from as well.
Software and fitness features
The Fossil Sport comes with the latest, redesigned version of Wear OS, which comes with a more streamlined user interface that’s easier to navigate. For starters, you’ll no longer need to memorize tons of gestures — instead, you’ll use simple swipes to get your notifications, health metrics, and more. We’ve had experience using it on the Fossil Q Venture HR and found that it’s far more enjoyable to use.
As for fitness features, you’ll be able to take advantage of built-in GPS to track runs, walks, and bike rides without being tethered to your smartphone. Conveniently enough, the Fossil Sport comes with Spotify automatically installed on the smartwatch — allowing you to access recently played songs, browse through playlists, and control music straight from your wrist. With the new WearOS interface, swiping to the left brings you to Google Fit, which tracks your activity throughout the day in the form of “Move Minutes and “Heart Points.” To learn more about how it works, you can read all about our experience with the redesigned app. To accommodate the redesigned app, Fossil has provided three watch faces that integrate the two metrics so that you can easily check your progress throughout the day by tapping on the display.
There’s also a heart rate monitor to track your BPM (beats per minute) throughout the day, and NFC capabilities for contactless payments. The Fossil Sport also comes with rapid charging, which will fully charge your device within an hour. Another feature pre-installed on the smartwatch (introduced in August) is the Noonlight app, which gives users the ability to call for help in the event of an emergency by tapping on the watch face.
Price and availability
The Fossil Sport smartwatch is now available for purchase through Fossil’s site for $255. It will be available worldwide starting on November 12.
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- Fossil Q Venture HR review
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- LG Watch W7: Everything you need to know
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