Fossil is quitting smartwatches

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Fossil’s exit from the smartwatch market is seen as another sign that non‑Apple wearables struggle to be both profitable and compelling, especially in the full-featured “wrist phone” segment. Commenters lament the loss of Fossil’s hybrid e‑ink models with multi‑week battery life, contrasting them with Apple and Wear OS watches that are powerful but short-lived and tightly tied to specific ecosystems. Many point to Garmin, Withings, Amazfit, PineTime and other niche or fitness-focused devices as the remaining options for those who want long battery life, simpler features, or more privacy-friendly designs.

Fossil’s exit & the hybrid niche

  • Many lament Fossil’s departure, especially for its hybrid/e‑ink models that looked like traditional watches, offered basic notifications, and had multi‑week battery life.
  • Several report that Fossil’s software and sync experience were slow or poor, and some had hardware issues (fogging, seals, glue failures, unreadable displays) and short lifespans.
  • There’s pessimism that Fossil‑style hybrids (analog first, subtle smarts, long battery) will survive as a category.

Battery life vs. functionality

  • Strong divide: some accept daily charging if they get rich features; others consider it a non‑starter and prefer week‑ or month‑long battery life.
  • Heavy users often want sleep tracking and alarms, making “charge overnight” undesirable, so they rely on short daily top‑ups.
  • Many cite Garmin, Amazfit Bip, G‑Shock, Withings, and similar devices as hitting a sweet spot: simple features + long battery. Solar‑assisted Garmins can approach “indefinite” under good sun.

Ecosystems, Wear OS, and Google strategy

  • Multiple comments see Google’s Wear OS strategy as unstable:
    • Early dependence on electronics OEMs, then fashion brands, then a Samsung partnership and Pixel Watch.
    • Complaints that Wear OS is essentially mini‑Android, demanding beefy CPUs and sacrificing battery life.
    • Some think traditional watchmakers couldn’t keep up technically and/or were alienated by Google giving Samsung an early Wear OS 3 advantage.
  • Comparisons are made to smaller, C/C++‑based OSes (Garmin, Zepp, etc.) that achieve far better efficiency.

Apple Watch and lock‑in

  • Common view that Apple is the only player consistently making money in smartwatches.
  • Debate over whether Apple profits mainly from hardware margins or broader ecosystem “lock‑in.”
  • Some praise health features (ECG, SpO₂, cycle tracking) and deep integration (unlocking Macs, fitness “rings”), but criticize:
    • Daily-ish charging.
    • Requirement for an iPhone to set up and fully use the watch.
    • Closed, tightly controlled ecosystem and weaker APIs for third parties.

Alternatives and use‑cases

  • For long‑life “real” smartwatches: Garmin (Fenix, Instinct, Epix, Forerunner, Venu, Marq), Coros, and Amazfit are repeatedly recommended.
  • For stylish hybrids/analogs with light smarts: Withings (ScanWatch, ScanWatch Nova), Garmin Vivomove, Citizen, Kronaby, Tissot, Sequent.
  • For cheap/simple fitness‑band‑style devices: various Amazfit/Xiaomi‑class watches and generic ~$50 bands are cited as good enough for steps, notifications, and basic health.
  • Some see Samsung Galaxy Watches and Pixel Watch as decent but still laggy, power‑hungry, or ecosystem‑constrained.

Privacy, openness, and hacking

  • Concern about data collection from low‑cost brands and big ecosystems.
  • Garmin is praised by some for working fully offline.
  • FOSS / hackable options mentioned: PineTime, Bangle.js, and Amazfit Bip with custom firmware (BipOS) plus Gadgetbridge as a no‑internet companion.
  • Market viability of privacy‑first devices is seen as uncertain due to already thin margins.

Are smartwatches worth it?

  • Some argue wearables add little beyond a phone and remain fashion items.
  • Others see clear value in: quick notifications, GPS for sports/outdoors without a phone, health monitoring, alarms/vibration, and voice‑driven timers/reminders.
  • Overall sentiment: demand is fragmented—high‑end “wrist phones,” long‑life fitness tools, and simple hybrids serve very different users, and many vendors struggle to profit outside Apple.